Sachin Tendulkar 200

Master blaster Sachin Tendulkar became the first batsman ever to score 200 runs in the history of the 50-over game. As Sachin broke the record of the highest One-Day International score of 194 runs held jointly by Pakistan's Saeed Anwar and Zimbabwe's Charles Coventry during his knock of 46th ODI hundred, we take a look at the centuries he has scored so far in his career.

Sachin Tendulkar’s unbeaten 200 is a testimony to his fitness and commitment even as he heads for his 37th birthday. He is looking as fit as focused
and as formidable as he ever has, and his timing remains untouched by the passing years.
Having played till the age of 39, I know that discipline, good, healthy living and focus can add years to one’s career. What I lost in pace and stamina, I gained in control and guile. In Tendulkar’s case, too, he has smartly sorted out his game. He might not have the eye he had in his late 20s, or the speed — those are the peak years of every batsman. However, Tendulkar has compensated for those areas with excellent shot selection and placement.

I always maintain that Test cricket and one-day cricket are two different areas, one cannot be connected to the other. However, Tendulkar’s rich vein of form in the longer version seems to have relaxed him and given him the freedom to play in an unburdened manner. Though I did not see the knock, the statistics I have got are staggering.

The fact that he got the score in 147 balls itself is a huge achievement and by reaching 200 he bettered one of the best one-day knocks I have seen, by Saeed Anwar. The latter was one of the sweetest timers of the ball, and that knock in Chennai was when he was at the peak of his form. To have bettered that Tendulkar must have really turned on the magic with some scintillating shots.

There may be many who will say that the wicket helped strokeplay and that there was nothing in it for the bowlers. But no matter what the wicket is like, to stand through 50 overs and score 200 is a very, very special effort — an achievement that his contemporaries, Ricky Ponting and Brian Lara, would have been proud of.

If I had had to pick up a guy as the one to score the first one-day double ton, it would have been Virender Sehwag. He is young, belligerent and in unbelievable touch. However, it was his illustrious senior who pipped him at the post. Tendulkar seems to have rediscovered an exuberance and enjoyment which seems to have taken his game to a different level, and India would be hoping that he maintains this rhythm for some time.

This achievement would mean a lot to Tendulkar, even though he has many records to his name because every opener must have had an eye on this record. A double century has only been a theoretical possibility in limited overs so far, so in many ways Tendulkar has achieved something unusual. True, he has many feathers on his cap, but this one is a really special one. An absolutely phenomenal record by a truly phenomenal player.
Indian superstar Sachin Tendulkar has claimed his record innings can be surpassed after he became the first player to hit a double hundred in a one-day international.