Declaring himself fit to resume cricketing activities after being 'rested' because of injury, opener Virender Sehwag on Wednesday said he missed not being in the dressing room when Sachin Tendulkar struck his landmark 100th international century last week. "The rest period is over and I am set to train, and play in the IPL," Sehwag said. Sehwag's name not figuring in the Asia Cup squad had created a controversy after selection committee chief Krishnamachari Srikkanth failed to give a convincing answer.

While the chief selector insisted that Sehwag had been "rested" due to a sore shoulder after announcing the squad for the Asia Cup, the opener said he had back spasms and had opted for rest as per the physio's advice. A long-time partner of Tendulkar at the top of the order, Sehwag was not there when the latter got to his 100th international ton during the Asia Cup match against Bangladesh in Mirpur last Friday.

"I missed being in the dressing room when Tendulkar scored that 100th century." Post the debacle in Australia, calls for senior players to retire are getting louder but Sehwag, himself 33, said nobody can force a cricketer to retire. Rahul Dravid had recently announced his retirement from international cricket.

"I will continue to play as long as I am enjoying the game, contributing to the team, winning games for my country. Nobody can force a player to retire," he said on the sidelines of promotional event during which the Delhi Daredevils website was launched. "It's not like a job, government job where you have to retire at 60. A cricketer can retire at 30 or 60, it's up to the player. (Sanath) Jayasuriya played till 42," he added.

The last few months have been far from impressive for Indian cricket but Sehwag is sanguine as ever, the drubbings in England and Australia, and the Asia Cup exit, notwithstanding. "It happens with every team across the world. There is also the home advantage which every team is taking now. Time will change for us. "We beat Pakistan and Sri Lanka but lost to Bangladesh. They have the ability to beat any team," he said.

About Virat Kohli's meteoric rise, Sehwag said, "He is a brilliant player. He has hit 11 (ODI) centuries and has not even played 100 matches. He has proved it. No amount of praise is enough." Though the Daredevils have an array of stroke-makers in Kevin Pietersen, Mahela Jayawardene and Ross Taylor, Sehwag said he will "not change" his game.

Reminded about his statement that he would like to have Dravid's patience, Sehwag said, "Dravid is too good, he is a good listener. Patience is important even in T20s, you have to bat out 120 balls." With Pietersen, Jayawardene and Taylor -- all have captained their respective countries -- in the side, there surely will be no shortage of inputs.

"It's an honour to be playing with the other players who have captained their countries. They can always give me suggestions. So it feels great to be playing with Mahela, Kevin and Ross Taylor. Talking about the team composition, Sehwag said "I have got my first preference, happy to have strong team. Some players like Mahela, Kevin and Warner will not be available for the first few games, so we will have to really play well.

Asked if his team had set a specific target, Sehwag said, "No one can set a target. We will try to play good cricket, give our 100 per cent. The most important thing, to start with, is to make the play-offs. "From there on we will think. The first 2-3 games are very important, and then we take it forward."

Sehwag also defended the track at the Ferozeshah Kotla that has come in for some sharp criticism in recent times. "Toss is important in every centre wherever you play. When you a play a day game there is always a bit of moisture, especially in northern part of India. We have a lot of Tests, one-dayers and T20s in Kotla, it is a good home ground for the Delhi Daredevils.

On the launch of the hindi website, the skipper said, "I am happy and excited to see the hindi website. I am from a rural area, I lived in Najafgarh for 26-27 years. A lot of people can't read or understand English in small villages. Daredevils mentor TA Sekar seemed satisfied with the team. "(We) were in touch with Viru in Australia, he gave us inputs. We have the options to play different combinations according to the opponents."

© Times of India

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Virat Kohli is being hailed as one of cricket's finest upcoming batsmen and senior India player Sachin Tendulkar agrees but he does not want the youngster to be put under too much pressure just at the beginning of what seems to be a promising career."He is a very good player. He is a brilliant player. He has done well but all I can say is don't put pressure on him. Let him play," said Tendulkar

Kohli proved his batting credentials with two dominant performances. He led India's successful run chase in Australia, surpassing the target of 321 inside 37 overs with a blistering 86-ball 133 and again on Sunday, when India produced their highest-ever run chase to eclipse a daunting 330-run victory target against Pakistan with the middle-order batsman again at the forefront with a magnificent 183.Tendulkar, who returned here from Dhaka today after India's exit from the Asia Cup, scored his much-awaited 100th ton during the tournament and said it was not easy for him to achieve the milestone despite scoring 99 centuries.

"The pressure is off. It was a difficult phase and all of us had to wait for it for a long time. But it has made everyone realise, including me, that even after scoring 99 hundreds, it is not easy to score another one," said Sachin.On India's exit from the Asia Cup, Tendulkar said: "We go out to win every match and sometimes it's not possible to win every match and sometimes the opposition plays better cricket than you and that is what happened. I would not want to take the credit away from them (Bangladesh). I think they played well."

The batting great also praised his Mumbai counterpart Rohit Sharma for the crucial third-wicket partnership of 172 runs he put on with Kohli against arch-rivals Pakistan that helped the five-time continental champions chase down the huge target."Rohit batted very well. He showed a lot of compsure. The way he built partnership with Virat was very important for us and the partnership happened at a crucial time," said Tendulkar who would be turning 39 on April 24.

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Tendulkar's international season has ended with the Asia Cup campaign as he's not part of the squad led by Mahendra Singh Dhoni which will engage South Africa in a one-off T20 International in Johannesburg on May 30.

"Looking forward to next (interntional) season. This season is over," said Tendulkar who would be leading Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League T20 competition commencing on April 4 in Chennai.
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It was Sachin Tendulkar's 100th international century that "inspired" India's ace shuttler Saina Nehwal to overcome a form slump and win the Swiss Open recently, the world number five said on Tuesday.

"In fact, when he scored that 100, it was the semifinals day (in Basel, Switzerland). I got a lot of inspiration from him. I told myself I also have to do well. I can also win the title...that also happened. I really thank him for giving me that inspiration on that day," Saina said. "It is a historic landmark and I don't think there is anything more for Sachin to achieve," she added.

Saina defeated third-ranked Shixian Wang of China 21-19 21-16 in a thrilling 48-minute contest, which helped her defend the women's singles title. "Sachin Tendulkar is a legend. He is a great player. Everyone knows that. Nothing more I can say about him. I respect him like God. He is inspiration to all the sportspersons in India."

Asked if Tendulkar deserves the Bharat Ratna, Saina responded in positive. "I have been saying that from last year. He deserves it. He is Bharat Ratna for me. He is Ratna for everyone. Whether he gets it or not, he is Ratna for all of us.

© Times of India

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For over two decades, Sachin Tendulkar has been used to carrying the burden of expectations of the entire nation on his shoulders. When he got stuck on 99 international hundreds, the pressure of scoring that one hundred became unbearable. How heavy that burden of expectations was could be judged by what Tendulkar felt while batting against Pakistan on Sunday.

"It was different, different in the sense that the thought of 'that' (100th 100) was not there!"

He was indeed relaxed during that knock of 52 which brought back the retirement question: Where do you go from here? "As I said before, I am enjoying it out there. The fact is, even today, I just can't wait to get out on the park. Yes, I need to understand now when I need to go and how long to stay."

Tendulkar pointed out that all through last year he was batting well. "To be honest, the way I batted in Australia was one of the best in my life. In the first three Tests my feet moved really, really well. I felt wonderful about my footwork and I played with a lot of freedom. I was always in the zone. Unfortunately, I couldn't convert my knocks into big scores. Despite feeling good and batting well, I was missing out. It was a testing time for me. I felt, maybe it is God's wish. I kept trying."

                           Sachin Tendulkar gestures after scoring a half century © Getty Images

As Tendulkar soaked in the pressure all by himself, his wife, Anjali, and other family members silently shared his agony. "My family has sacrificed immensely. Without them things wouldn't have been the same. That I spend so much time away from them is a huge sacrifice on their part. The milestone added huge pressure on the family as well. My mother, wife, children, brothers and sisters were all deeply concerned about my health and mental well-being but they never shared it with me."

There was no apparent reason to explain the year-long century drought though. "The journey to my 100th hundred became really tough with every game that I played. The expectations just kept growing. It was something I never experienced before in my career," he says.

Tendulkar also dismissed allegations that he picks and chooses his tours. "People said all kinds of things when I didn't go to the West Indies. But I did it only because I wanted to spend some time with my family. I had been playing for 12 months before that and, if I hadn't taken that break, I would have had to wait another 12 months. It would have meant I had to be away from the family for 24 months which would have been very long. Also, my children had school holidays, so I approached the BCCI and they graciously agreed."

Soon after the West Indies tour came the tour of England and all the talk there was about Tendulkar's 100th ton instead of the clash between two top Test teams. "People talked about only one thing. It frustrated me,"

Like everyone else, Tendulkar too believed there were four or five occasions when he thought he could have scored a hundred. "In England, at the Oval, where I made 91, I thought it was going to happen because I was very much in control. Also, during the Mumbai Test (he made 94) against the West Indies, and in Melbourne (he made 73) and Sydney (he scored 80) recently in Australia. It pushed me mentally but, somehow, I couldn't get to the landmark."

© Times of India

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“I’m feeling good (after India’s superb win over Pakistan), except for the swelling... That’s why I’m not shaking hands,” Sachin Tendulkar told The Telegraph, pointing to the region of his right thumb and knuckles.Besides being swollen, the area has turned red, courtesy a powerful strike by opener Nasir Jamshed, during Sunday’s face-off in the Asia Cup.In a brief interaction at the Pan Pacific Sonargaon, on Monday evening, Sachin added: “Lucky I didn’t split the webbing, otherwise...”

Sachin hurt himself when Jamshed offered a return catch, on 69. He went on to get a hundred.Given that Sachin had gone off after the injury, some assumed he wouldn’t open when India began their chase. But he did, playing a smart hand in the remarkable victory.

Sachin isn’t one to concede any ground to Pakistan, psychologically or otherwise. Twentytwo-plus years ago, despite being hit on the nose by a fiery Waqar Younis in the Sialkot Test, he’d firmly refused to retire hurt.Some years later, in a one-on-one with this Reporter, Sachin explained: “Coming off the ground would have meant accepting defeat. I couldn’t have done that.”

That afternoon in Sialkot, Sachin had only been 16 years old. Batting on 16 when the ball slammed into his nose, he went on to score 57 on that green top.The effort showed character, which has been a feature of Sachin’s career. That bit hasn’t changed about him.

                    An Indian cricket team physiotherapist inspects Sachin Tendulkar © Getty Images

Indeed, ask Sachin if life has changed after becoming the first to total 100 International hundreds, and a measured smile is his reply.On Sunday, of course, Virat Kohli was the hero, displaying his class through one of the most memorable innings in ODIs.

Speaking exclusively, Virat grinned and said: “Oh, it feels wonderful the day after... It’s just so nice that I contributed in a must-win match.”“Contributed” is a massive understatement.Sachin, for his part, described Virat’s 183 as “brilliant.” He also had words of praise for Rohit Sharma (68).

“He’s found some unlucky ways to get out in the past... He’s more disciplined and focused now... It’s good that he’s back among the runs, it’s good for Indian cricket,” is how Sachin lauded a fellow-Mumbaikar.India’s fate won’t be known till Tuesday evening, but the Mahendra Singh Dhonis have still scheduled a practice session in the morning.Having (again) left it to others to do our work, it’s all about hoping for the best and being prepared for the worst.

© DNA

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Did a mane makeover swing it for Sachin at Mirpur? Check out some of his past hairstyles.

As he flicked the ball and ran his way to that one elusive, excruciating century on Friday evening, was it Sachin Tendulkar's Samson moment?

The last year hasn't been too kind to our Master Blaster, with whispers growing louder about his waning strength. Some even called for his retirement. Sachin, for his part, answered them with a superb ton - and a magic makeover for his crowning glory. Gone is the frizzy, spaghetti hair that we've seen in some form or the other since his tumultuous debut in Pakistan back in 1989.                                                                              ©  Getty Images

The cricketer now sports a lustrous head of straightened tresses - a tousled, out-of-bed look. It adds just a touch of playboy cool to the charisma of the man who's always been the epitome of middle-class Indian values. So far. But then, who said superheroes can't change? Sachin just did - and also answered his critics. So here's looking at some of the cool and not-so-cool looks that he has sported over the years.

© Times of India

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Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina praised India's iconic batsman Sachin Tendulkar for his 100th hundred and described him as a 'pride of the subcontinent'.Tendulkar became the first cricketer to score 100 international centuries when he blasted 114 against Bangladesh in the ongoing Asia Cup last Friday but the hosts won the match, beating the visitors by five wickets.
 
"We are delighted at Bangladesh's victory over world champions India in the ongoing Asia Cup Cricket. We are also delighted at Tendulkar's hundredth century as he is a pride of the sub-continent," Hasina said during the reception hosted in honour of the batting great at her Ganobhaban residence.A Ganobhaban spokesman said Hasina warmly received Tendulkar and congratulated him on notching up his 100th international century, while her younger sister Sheikh Rehana, son Sajib Wazed Joy and daughter Saima Wazed Putul joined her in welcoming him.
 

Also See : Photos : Sachin Tendulkar With Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina

Indian batting legend Sachin Tendulkar makes a courtesy call on the prime minister, Sheikh Hasina, at her official Ganabhaban residence Monday evening. The PM’s family members were also present.© New Age photo

"She (premier) also presented him some gifts," the spokesman said.Hasina on Saturday had sent sweets along with a bouquet of flowers to Bangladesh cricket team for their brilliant five-wicket victory over India in the Asia Cup Cricket.After joining the small reception of about one hour, Tendulkar told reporters that it was a great honour for him as the Bangladesh premier greeted him.
 
"After interaction with her, I got an impression that she is a great fan of cricket"," Tendulkar said.
Responding to a question, the Indian said it was true that he was stuck for some time in the 99th century but "there is no specific reason for that".
 
"I never played for the target. I am a member of Indian team and it's a pride for me when India wins," said Tendulkar.Tendulkar had scored his 99th century against South Africa on March 12 last year at Nagpur during the World Cup and this hundred was Tendulkar's 49th in one-dayers. He has 51 Test centuries.(PTI)

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The only scorer of 100 international centuries, Sachin Tendulkar, met Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at Gano Bhavan at her invitation on Monday evening.Emerging from the meeting room, Sachin told journalists that it was “a great honour for me to meet the premier of Bangladesh”.

Mentioning Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina as a “cricket lover”, the Little Master said, “She likes cricket and follows cricket. As a premier, it is rare.” During the parley, younger sister of the premier Sheikh Rehana, son Sajeeb Wazed Joy and Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) President ANH Mostafa Kamal were among others present.

Prime Minister of Bangladesh Sheikh Hasina Wazed (R) and Indian cricketer Sachin Tendulkar pose for a photo at the prime ministers official residence in Dhaka on March 19, 2012. The prime minister invited the Indian cricket legend to her Ganabhaban official residence after Tendulkar became the first batsman in history to score 100 international centuries, adding another milestone in his record-breaking career © Getty Images

Indian batting legend Sachin Tendulkar makes a courtesy call on the prime minister, Sheikh Hasina, at her official Ganabhaban residence Monday evening. The PM’s family members were also present.© New Age photo

.                                                                         © Daily Star

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The only scorer of 100 international centuries, Sachin Tendulkar, met Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at Gano Bhavan at her invitation on Monday evening.Emerging from the meeting room, Sachin told journalists that it was “a great honour for me to meet the premier of Bangladesh”.

Mentioning Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina as a “cricket lover”, the Little Master said, “She likes cricket and follows cricket. As a premier, it is rare.” During the parley, younger sister of the premier Sheikh Rehana, son Sajeeb Wazed Joy and Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) President ANH Mostafa Kamal were among others present.

At the invitation of the premier, Little Master Sachin Tendulkar reached at PM’s official residence Gano Bhavan at 6:30pm.Sachin stayed there for 20 minutes and exchanged greetings with the premier and others.  

Earlier, on March 16, Bangladesh beat India by five wickets in the crucial 4th match of Asia Cup, where Sachin Tendulkar scored his 100th international century. To greet the great achievement of the Indian cricketer in Bangladesh, the prime minister sent him sweets and bouquet.

© banglanews24.com

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Complete Picture Gallery of Sachin Tendulkar during the one day international (ODI) Asia Cup cricket match between India and Pakistan at The Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Dhaka on March 18, 2012. Sachin Tendulkar Was Dismissed For 52 Runs Today.Picture Courtesy : Daylife, Getty Images & AP PHOTO, Reuters. CLICK ON THE PICTURES TO ENLARGE

An Indian cricket team physiotherapist inspects Sachin Tendulkar © Getty Images

India's Sachin Tendulkar plays a ball © Reuters

India's Sachin Tendulkar plays a shot © AP Photo

Sachin Tendulkar acknowledges the crowd © AP Photo

Sachin Tendulkar bowls Today © AP Photo

Sachin Tendulkar checks his hand after getting hurt © AP Photo

Sachin Tendulkar gestures Today © Getty Images

Sachin Tendulkar gestures after scoring a half century © Getty Images

Sachin Tendulkar leaves the field © Reuters

Sachin Tendulkar plays a shot Today © Getty Images

Sachin Tendulkar plays a shot © Getty Images

Sachin Tendulkar reacts after getting hurt © AP Photo

Sachin Tendulkar runs after hurting himself © AP Photo

Sachin Tendulkar, left, reacts after getting hurt © AP Photo

Sachin Tendulkar, right, watches as teammate Virat Kohli raises his bat © AP Photo

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Last night Sachin Tendulkar’s teammates had left 100 balloons in his hotel room. He was totally unaware about it and was completely surprised to see them floating around once he entered the room after the match.STAR News reporter Kuntal Chakraborty spoke exclusively to the Little Master on how he felt  after achieving the elusive 100th international ton.

Excerpts from the interview:

Kuntal: Whether God was testing the Cricketing God?

Sachin: I am not God... I am Sachin Tendulkar. When I was young my coach taught me that till you stay as the student of the game there will be progress. Everyday you will learn. Life has taught me a lot of things.

Kuntal: On Vivian Richards wanting you to play as long as you want to.

Sachin: I respect Sir Vivian Richards a lot. He was my idol along with Sunil Gavaskar during my younger days. Other former players have their own set of opinions and I respect them as well. The statements which are not important to me don’t bother me that much.

Kuntal: On his subdued reaction and what did he point out after scoring the 100th hundred?

Sachin: I pointed out to the Indian flag. I wanted to convey that I did it for the country. I dedicate this hundred to my elder brother Ajit. We shared the same goal and he sacrificed his life for me. I dedicate this hundred to him. I would like to thank all the Indians for my success.

Kuntal: Which was the most memorable and the toughest hundred?

Sachin

: Toughest was the 100th hundred. It was a very difficult phase. God has his ways to give success.

Kuntal: After you won the World Cup people said you should quit ODIs?

Sachin: Some people might have said and then you guys reported it in different way.......

Kuntal:  I mean I wanted to say critics.....

Sachin: Yes. Critics. I don't think the critics know how my body and mind is reacting, what my desire is and how much I can contribute. They have their own thought process and never need to answer for anything. I will decide on my own dream. I feel till you are in form you should continue to play. Leaving cricket in good form will be selfish.

© STAR NEWS

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A phenomenal century of hundreds under his belt, iconic cricketer Sachin Tendulkar is in no mood to consider retirement as he feels going out on top is a "selfish thought". Tendulkar struck his 100th international century in an Asia Cup match against Bangladesh on Friday, ending a year-long wait to get to the milestone which might remain unsurpassed.

But the 38-year-old is not even thinking about bidding adieu to his over two-decade long career just yet. "My belief is that if I feel I can contribute, I am mentally there where I feel I am bringing value to the team then I should be playing. It's a very selfish thought that when you are at the top you should retire," Tendulkar told Times Now.

"When you are at the top, you should serve the nation. When I feel I am not in a frame of mind to contribute to nation, that's when I should retire not when somebody says. That's a selfish statement that one should retire on top," he explained. The diminutive right-hander, who sits on a pile of records and runs, said it was tough to deal with the hype around the 100th ton and the fact that the wait lingered on made it harder.

"(There is) more of a relief because my 99th hundred was against South Africa (during the World Cup) and after that media didn't speak about my 100th hundred while the World Cup was on," he recalled. "I missed the West Indies tour and somehow there is speculation that I wanted to score the 100 in England at Lord's but a hundred doesn't come as and when you want", he said.

"For the last one year, there were patches I was batting reasonably ok and some failures also but the whole package put together, it was possibly the toughest of my life. Last one year has been really tough," Tendulkar said. Responding to the criticism against him that he was playing only for the milestone, Tendulkar said, "There are certain people I respect and there are certain people I don't respect. So I don't get affected by ones I don't respect, they have there opinions, it doesn't matter much they remain where they are."                                                             © Getty Images

"I don't bother much about them. Let them be where they are. I have got a bigger job of playing for India, score runs and win matches for India and I focus on that job instead of reacting to what they are saying," he retorted. Asked whether the 100th ton was playing on his mind before it was hyped by the media, Tendulkar said he wasn't thinking about the stat.

"Earlier the 100th 100 wasn't on my mind at all, I was so focussed on the World Cup. My biggest dream was to lift the World Cup and there could be no greater satisfaction for a player than to bring the World Cup home. That was the most important moment of my life. "I don't think anything gets bigger than that. Personal milestones are created along that path where you have got a bigger goal and the bigger goal was to play for nation," he asserted.

Tendulkar said he was glad that the hoopla around the hundred has finally ended.

"I am feeling like plenty of weight has been taken off my shoulders. I said that I have lost 50 kg yesterday but looking back it feels a little more than that. I am glad that it's all done with now. "There are moments when you question yourself, why is this happening because I was batting well. There was no specific reason to get out. It just happened. Sometimes you just have to accept what the almighty's plan is for you. I want to assure you that I won't stop trying my best," he said.

© Times of India

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India's batting legend Sachin Tendulkar, who got his landmark 100th international century against Bangladesh here Friday, ended all speculation about his immediate retirement saying he would carry on playing international cricket as long as he enjoys the game.

"When I think of retirement I will not hide it. Don't worry about it. I will carry on as long as I enjoy it," said Tendulkar.Having waited for just over a year to get the 100th international ton, Tendulkar said it has been a tough phase for him. The joy, however, was short-lived as India lost the match despite Tendulkar's 114.

"I can't think of anything at this stage. It has been a tough phase for me. I started off the season batting reasonably well, batted well in Australia without much luck. It doesn't really matter how many hundreds you score, in the end you have to put your head down and grind it out for the team," said Tendulkar.Tendulkar said may a times during the last year he felt frustrated at not getting the milestone.

"I am a human being and I will be honest. Many a time I was frustrated and it does play on your mind," he said.When someone pointed out that he has turned every stone thrown at him into a milestone, Tendulkar said: "The 100th ton was tough but I don't play for milestones. I just play for the love of the game. The process that started way back in 1989 is still continuing. I still make mistakes after more than 20 years of playing international cricket.

"It was testing time for me and I thank god for whatever has come my way. I don't take things for granted. Whatever score I am batting on, I don't take things for granted. You have to be on your toes. I have to execute the plans of my team. The century was not the only thing that was playing in my mind. I avoided looking at the scoreboard and personal score but kept a track of the run rate."

The 38-year old said he wasn't thinking too much about the milestone despite the unprecedented attention by his fans and the media."To be honest, I was not really thinking about it. The media started it all. Wherever I went, to the restaurant, room service, housekeeping, everyone was talking about the 100th hundred. It was surprising as nobody talked about my 99 hundreds."

Tendulkar slowed down a bit while getting to the magical figure. When asked about how he paced his innings, Tendulkar said: "It was slightly different, the ball was not coming onto the bat. Virat (Kohli) and I were discussing that 275-280 would be a decent score on this wicket.Many feel Tendulkar's feat won't be repeated but he thinks the important thing is to play for the team.

"It hasn't sunk in but I have definitely lost about 50 kilos," he quipped when asked about the significance of his achievement.Asked about the Bangladesh team, Tendulkar said: "Bangladesh is a good underrated team. People still talk of Bangladesh as if they don't know how to play cricket. They way they played against Pakistan is a proof of their good cricket. They have been in international cricket for quite some time."

© NDTV

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Mumbaikars took to the streets to burst crackers and cheer after master blaster Sachin Tendulkar scored his elusive 100th international ton on Friday in an Asia Cup match against Bangladesh.The city's youth spent thousand of rupees on buying crackers that they burst soon after the batting maestro reached the magic figure in 138 balls, hitting 10 fours and a six. Not only in mumbain people celebrated sachin's century of centuries all over the world.

© PTI

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The cricketing world heaped praise on master blaster Sachin Tendulkar, who completed his 100th international hundred Friday in the Asia Cup match against Bangladesh.The batting legend ended a long one-year wait after reaching the three figure mark in the fourth match of the tournament in Mirpur near Dhaka, scoring 114 off 147 balls.

Former Australia captain Adam Gilchrist said Sachin was the best batsmen of all-time."Everyone especially the Indians were waiting for this for a long time but it was just a matter of time before Sachin got there," said Gilchrist.

"The outstanding feature of Sachin is his temperament. You would never see him upset on the field. The way he has handled the fame and the fortune is truly remarkable. Well played to him.Ricky Ponting is a distant second in the hundred list with 71."He is well ahead of the group and 29 hundreds in a normal scenario, you see in a couple of careers," added Gilly.

Pakistan legend Javed Miandad said the 38-year old was a role model for the upcoming cricketers."I congratulate Sachin on behalf of Pakistan. I am sure people in India would be extremely happy about this. Anyone who wants to pursue a cricketing career, Sachin is the one to be followed," said Miandad, who is tied with Sachin for six World Cup appearances.

Former India captain Sourav Ganguly called him a "true champion".Former India teammate Murali Karthik said "this is a marathon noone can run" while Sanjay Manjrekar felt "the sheer hunger of runs" was the main factor behind Sachin's phenomenal feat.The sport's administrators in India and outside joined in praising the legend.Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) N. Srinivasan described Sachin's feat as a colossal one.

"Ever since he made his international debut in Nov 1989, Sachin has strode cricketing arenas the world over, like a colossus. He has broken old records and set new benchmarks. He has been an inspiration to billions, and an ornament to the sport. 16th March 2012 will never be forgotten by cricket-lovers," said Srinivsan.Sports minister Ajay Maken said: "It is a big big achievement and India is proud to have a player like Sachin."International Cricket Council (ICC) Chief Executive Haroon Lorgat called Sachin a modern-day great.

"This is indeed a magnificent feat and not likely to be easily emulated. Fans have admired Sachin for more than twenty years and have recently waited with great expectation for his 100th international century."Like millions of others I have personally followed his career ever since he first played for India as a gifted 16-year-old and now, more than two decades later, his passion and personal records, which include more than 33,000 runs is a modern day wonder," said Lorgat.

© NDTV

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Sachin Tendulkar today finally became the first cricketer in the world to score what is being called his "100 international centuries", a non-event really which seemed to have weighed him down for more than the last year. Complete Picture gallery of sachin tendulkar's 100th international century. Picture courtesy : Daylife, Reuters, AP Photo, AFP Images & Getty Images. CLICK ON THE PICTURES TO ENLARGE.

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