So how long will this take?

For all Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar fans the magic number is 172 at the moment. Having seen Sachin all these years, breaking all the records that a cricketer can ever dream of, this has significance in itself. When Sachin gets past the 11,952 runs which is currently held by another genius the game as seen – Brian Charles Lara, he will hold all possible records that a batsman can. My only worry is over the last few years Tendulkar has kept the world waiting a long time for some of his records – his dismissal when on 90’s last year, the 35th test century (to become the player with most centuries) came a year after his 34th. So the big question now is how long will he take to get those 172 test runs needed to surpass Brian Charles Lara? Lets wait, watch and pray that he gets it as soon as possible. For the moment, all those interested can have a look at the number of records he has currently:

1. Highest Run scorer in the ODI
2. Most number of hundreds in the ODI
3. Most number of nineties in the ODI
4. Most number of man of the matches in the ODI's
5. Most number of man of the series in ODI's
6. First Cricketer to pass 10000 run in the ODI
7. First Cricketer to pass 15000 run in the ODI
8. He is the highest run scorer in the world cup (1,796 at an average of 59.87 as on 20 March 2007)
9. Most number of the man of the matches in the world cup
10. Most number of runs 1996 world cup 523 runs in the 1996 Cricket World Cup at an average of 87.16
11. Most number of runs in the 2003 world cup 673 runs in 2003 Cricket World Cup, highest by any player in a single Cricket World Cup
12. Most number of Fifties in ODI's
13. Appeared in Most Number of ODI's
14. He is the only player to be in top 10 ICC ranking for 10 years.
15. Most number of 100's in test's
16. He is one of the three batsmen to surpass 11,000 runs in Test cricket, and the first Indian to do so
17. He is thus far the only cricketer to receive the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna, India's highest sporting honor
18. In 2003, Wisden rated Tendulkar as d No. 1 and Richards at No. 2 in all time Greatest ODI player
19. In 2002, Wisden rated him as the second greatest Test batsman after Sir Donald Bradman.
20. He was involved in unbroken 664-run partnership in a Harris Shield game in 1988 with friend and team mate Vinod Kambli,
21. Tendulkar is the only player to score a century in all three of his Ranji Trophy, Duleep Trophy and Irani Trophy debuts
22. In 1992, at the age of 19, Tendulkar became the first overseas born player to represent Yorkshire
23. Tendulkar has been granted the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna, Arjuna Award and Padma Shri by Indian government. He is the only Indian cricketer to get all of them.
24. Tendulkar has scored over 1000 runs in a calendar year in ODI's 7 times
25. Tendulkar has scored 1894 runs in calendar year in ODI's most by any batsman
26. He is the highest earning cricketer in the world
27. In November 2006, Time magazine named Tendulkar as one of the Asian Heroes.
28. In December 2006, he was named "Sports person of the Year”
29. Tendulkar was the first batsman in history to score over 50 centuries in international cricket
30. Tendulkar was the first batsman in history to score over 75 centuries in international cricket:
31. Has the most overall runs in cricket, (ODIs+Tests+Twenty20s).
32. Is second on the most number of runs in test cricket just after Brian Lara
33. Sachin Tendulkar with Sourav Ganguly hold the world record for the maximum number of runs scored by the opening partnership.
34. The 20 century partnerships for opening pair with Sourav Ganguly is a world record
35. Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid hold the world record for the highest partnership in ODI matches when they scored 331 runs against New Zealand in 1999
36. Sachin Tendulkar has been involved in six 200 run partnerships in ODI matches - a record that he shares with Sourav Ganguly and Rahul Dravid
37. Most Centuries in a calendar year: 9 ODI centuries in 1998
38. Only player to have over 100 innings of 50+ runs
39. Highest individual score among Indian batsmen (186* against New Zealand at Hyderabad in 1999).
40. Tendulkar has scored over 1000 ODI runs against all major Cricketing nations.
41. Sachin was the fastest to reach 10,000 runs taking 259 innings and has the highest batting average among batsmen with over 10,000 ODI runs
42. Most number of Stadium Appearances: 90 different Grounds
43. Consecutive ODI Appearances: 185
44. On his debut, Sachin Tendulkar was the second youngest debutant in the world
45. When Tendulkar scored his maiden century in 1990, he was the second youngest to score a century
46. Tendulkar's record of five test centuries before he turned 20 is a current world record
47. Tendulkar holds the current record (217 against NZ in 1999/00 Season) for the highest score in Test cricket by an Indian when captaining the side
48. Tendulkar has scored centuries against all test playing nations.[7] He was the third batman to achieve the distinction after Steve Waugh and Gary Kirsten
49. Tendulkar has 4 seasons in test cricket with 1000 or more runs - 2002 (1392 runs), 1999 (1088 runs), 2001 (1003 runs) and 1997 (1000 runs).[6] Gavaskar is the only other Indian with four seasons of 1000+ runs
50. He is second most number of seasons with over 1000 runs in world.
51. On 3 January 2007 Sachin Tendulkar (5751) edged past Brian Lara's (5736) world record of runs scored in Tests away from home
52. Tendulkar and Brian Lara are the fastest to score 10,000 runs in Test cricket history. Both of them achieved this in 195 innings
53. Became the first Indian to surpass the 11,000 Test run mark and the third International player behind Allan Border and Brian Lara.
54. Tendulkar is fourth on the list of players with most Test caps.
55. Tendulkar has played the most number of Test Matches for India
56. First to 25,000 international runs
57. On December 10, 2005, Tendulkar made his 35th century in Tests at Delhi against Sri Lanka. He surpassed Sunil Gavaskar's record of 34 centuries to become the man with the most number of hundreds in Test cricket.
58. Tendulkar is the only player who has 150 wkts and more than 15000 runs in ODI
59. Tendulkar is the only player who has 40 wkts and more than 11000 runs in Tests
60. Only batsman to have 100 hundreds in the first class cricket.


I am sure there is going to be much more added to this by the time he hangs his boots.

The greatest tennis match of all time

Roger Federer vs Rafael Nadal - Wimbdledon 2008 - I must say this is one of the greatest matches I have witnessed alongside Pat Rafter vs Goran Ivanasevic - wimbledone 2001. I am a hardcore fan of Federer and I hoped / prayed that he won. In the end it was heartbreaking for me to see him lose. However, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal served up a match that defied everything that nature could throw at them. It was a most thrilling match, with Federer recovering from two sets down to force a fifth but he was eventually beaten in a near five-hour epic that was twice delayed by rain. I was happy in a way that the Federer fought till the last point and took it to 5 sets.

I thought the reason behind Federer's loss was, he could convert only one of 13 break points in the match. Thus, Federer failed to surpass Björn Borg by winning a sixth consecutive title or match Willie Renshaw's all-time record of six in a row from 1881-86. In a way history repeated itself, Borg was beaten by John McEnroe (a left hander) which ended is 5 consecutive titles and now another left hander has ended streak.

It’s suiting really that it was a dark day in Wimbledon when Federer lost, but he has got so much to be proud of and I alongside millions of fans are always proud of him. Nothing can take away everything he has achieved and he will never be forgotten for the champion he is.

Final Score: 6-4, 6-4 ,6-7, 6-7 and 9-7.