Ton-up Tendulkar reaches milestone



 Sachin Tendulkar, affectionately known as 'the little master' reached another landmark in South Africa on Sunday, hitting his 50th Test match century, whilst surpassing 14,500 Test career runs.

India's most successful batsman couldn't prevent a defeat to the Proteas, but this wouldn't stop Tendulkar celebrating in style.

Eleven more centuries ahead than Australia's Ricky Ponting, Tendulkar, 37, may be at his twilight of his career, but he is an absolute joy to watch. Currently apart of the best Test nation in the world currently, dismissed his 50th ton as 'just a number', but to us cricket fans around the world, it is a remarkable achievement by any stretch of the imagination, and one that probably won't be reached for many years to come.

Tendulkar was only 16 when he made his Test debut in Karachi versus Pakistan in 1989 late in November, and it was only a few weeks later he was making his One Day International debut in December, in Gujranwala. (Obviously I wasn't born in 1989) But to make your TEST and ODI debut at the age of 16 is quite incredible. You must have some talent, and boy this is what he had.

He is the most feared batsman ever in the modern day. His technique is perfect. He has no weakness, no bad shots, no bad habits. Simply perfection.

India, and the world of cricket has been blessed with such special talent, and fortunately not overused in the world of cricket, the term simply defines Tendulkar.

The little master is up there with the greats of the game. Don Bradman, Brian Lara, today's players in Jacques Kallis, Ricky Ponting. But Tendulkar must top this list, if not top two, behind Bradman, who is believed to be the best the game has ever seen.

I have never, ever had the privilege to see Tendulkar in reality, but watching him on television, playing in series all over the world, whatever the format of the game, but you know when Tendulkar walks out to bat, you are destined to see a fine performance.

He probably has a few more years left in him, now at 37 years of age, and he isn't getting any younger, but his performances on the field haven't declined since he first took the field. Tendulkar has textbook written all over him, and for all the youngsters out there wanting to be a batsman, take note of him, learn his ways, because once he bows out of the game, you will see no one better than Tendulkar to learn from.