Sachin Tendulkar is best batsman I have seen in my life, says Pakistan's Hanif Muhammad

Pakistan batting great, Hanif Muhammad today rated Sachin Tendulkar better than the legendary Australian Sir Donald Bradman and described him as the best batsman he has seen in my life.

"I am one of those fortune people who have seen Bradman and Tendulkar bat in my lifetime and in my opinion Tendulkar is the best batsman I have seen in my life," Hanif said today.

Hanif, who had earned the sobriquet of "little master" like Tendulkar for his batting feats in the 50s and 60s, said he had not seen a better player than Tendulkar.

"I am very sad to hear that Tendulkar has decided to retire from One-day cricket. I hope he continues to play Test matches. Because to my mind he could have played on even in ODIs for another two years," Hanif said.

"He remains to my mind still the best player in the world. I have never seen a more complete player than Tendulkar and I have always been a great admirer of his batting," Hanif said.

The former Pakistan captain is due to leave for India as a goodwill ambassador for the Pakistan cricket Board during the current one-day series.

"If possible I will definitely like to meet Tendulkar and have a chat with him in India. It has been a great experience watching him bat all these years," he added.

Overall the Pakistan cricket community has paid rich tributes to Tendulkar but also expressed surprise at the timing of his retirement from ODIs.

"It is a bit surprising considering he was always such a fierce competitor against us and wanted to do well against us. His last two innings against us have been half centuries. I would have thought he would chosen this series as his farewell ODI series," former captain, Wasim Bari said.

Humble Sachin Tendulkar still my favourite cricketer: Javed Miandad

Sachin Tendulkar's phenomenal feat of scoring 100 international centuries is unlikely to be ever broken as no other contemporary player has the calibre and the amazing fitness to play the game for more than two decades.

Ever since I saw Sachin make his debut against us, some 23 years back, I knew that he was someone destined for greater things. I have never seen anyone so devoted to the game and so hungry to score runs. So this incredible feat could have only been achieved by Sachin.

I don't think anyone needs to sing praises for Sachin, his performance speaks volumes. The way he has been performing all these years is simply amazing and is a feat of devotion, patience and super fitness.

Friday was a big day for me as a cricketer. The moment Sachin reached the milestone of scoring his 100th international century it appeared to me as if someone very dear to me had achieved this feat.

He is one of the most humble and gentleman personalities I have met in my life. My father always used to say "You give respect you get respect". To me Sachin has followed this saying to the hilt. And that is the major reason today he is at the pinnacle of his career.

But this man has not reached these dizzy heights of fame by just showing or giving respect. To me, technically he is one of the best timers in the game with a solid temperament.

Myself, Vivian Richards, Ian Chappell and many others were always keen to improvise our batting. Sachin is one of the most orthodox batsmen I have come across. His temperament is the same whether he is batting on 0, 50 or on 100 and that is what sets him apart from other great batsmen.

In 1989 India was due to tour Pakistan and we kept on hearing about this boy who had scored a triple century in India. He came and played against the likes of Wasim, Imran and Qadir and even got hit in Karachi but as far as I was concerned he was someone destined for great things.

So it doesn't surprise me that today he is the only player to have scored 100 international centuries.

Since his debut there were numerous occasions in Pakistan, India, Sharjah, Australia and England when I came across him and what impressed me the most was that every time he showed the same respect and displayed the same hunger to learn and improve that he had on his first day in Test cricket.

Over the years whenever we came across each other either in whatever role Sachin was always keen to learn and talk about cricket.

This is a trait I have found in many of the great Indian cricketers I have played against. They all want to learn from you and they give a lot of respect.

Once it was in England myself, Viv Richards an Indian friend of mine Sunil went to Lords to watch the Indian team practice and as soon as we entered the nets area, Sachin, Dravid and others wasted no time in coming to us and acknowledging our presence or discussing cricket with us.

To me Sachin has been one of the most devoted cricketers I have come across. I have never seen anyone devote so much time to cricket than Sachin.

People like to talk about him and compare him with other greats but my reasoning is simple every era has been different because cricket has changed in every decade.

What makes Sachin great is that he has just not scored runs in the sub-continent but all over the world. I watched his double hundred at Sydney and it was one of the best innings I have seen from a batsman from the sub-continent on Australian pitches.
His devotion and hunger for the game is something others can learn a lot from.

Main reason I think today he has played for so long and reached this milestone is because he has always preferred to bat in the top order and when India started playing lot of One-day internationals he immediately promoted himself to open the innings.

That is what makes a player great. The eagerness to play as many overs as possible when one gets the chance. I don't think it would have been possible for Sachin to score 100 international hundreds if he had not decided he would open in ODIs. This has given him the chance to play long innings and maximum overs.

More importantly his humble nature and the fact that his long career has largely been free of controversies have made him an idol in India.

Just how dear he is to the Indian people became clear to us in 1999 in that Kolkata Test when in a freak accident he got run out and the reaction that followed made it clear to us just how revered he is in India.

But even after that incident Sachin remained Sachin and that is why he remains my favorite cricketer. I don't see his record being broken in the near future and if anyone is going to do it he has to play continuously for 15 to 20 years and keep on batting up the order and that is a tall order despite so much cricket being played these days.

Well done Sachin, you deserve all this respect and praise.

England PM David Cameron salutes Sachin Tendulkar, terms meeting with the legend as an honour

England Prime Minister, David Cameron, recently visited the Oval Cricket Stadium in order to enjoy the ongoing fourth Test between England and India.

Despite the fact that Cameron was extremely delighted over a fantastic performance by his side, his meeting with the legendary batsman, Sachin Tendulkar, doubled his joy.

Cameron ‘s meeting with the Master Blaster came as a result of PM’s special request, as he disclosed that he is huge of fan of Tendulkar.

After embracing the Little Master, Cameron expressed his delight and said that it is an honour to see Tendulkar, who has a number of International records under his belt.

“It’s an honour to have met with and spoken to (Sachin) Tendulkar... I’ve been his fan,” said Cameron.

Meanwhile, he disclosed that he is huge fan of cricket and has been following the ongoing series keenly.
Tendulkar was also grateful to the English Prime Minister and expressed gratitude for the given respect.

“The Prime Minister had just come to say hello... He said that I was welcome in the UK anytime,” shared the batting maestro who is just a hundred away from completing his ton of International centuries.

I wanted to win World Cup for Sachin: Yuvi

Yuvraj had said after guiding the team to a great victory over defending champions Australia at Ahmedabad in the quarter finals that he wanted to win the trophy for a "special person" and added the identity of the person would be revealed by him after the final.

Yuvraj specially thanked former India captain Sourav Ganguly and Dhoni for keeping faith in him when he was going through tough times.

"When I started my career, Sourav was the captain and he supported me a lot. When I went through ups and downs Mahi (Dhoni) supported me. Mahi has been a great captain. Whatever he touches turns into gold. Sourav and MS have been very helpful for my career."

World Cup dream comes true for SachinTendulkar

Sachin Tendulkar failed with the bat but still ended a World Cup-winner for the first time on Saturday as India defeated Sri Lanka by six wickets in the final.

Many fans in a capacity 33,000 crowd had piled into the Wankhede Stadium hoping to see the 37-year-old Tendulkar, on his home ground, score his hundredth international hundred.

But instead the star batsman, bidding to fulfil a lifelong ambition by winning the World Cup at his sixth — and in all likelihood last — attempt, was dismissed for just 18.

Tendulkar walked off to the kind of standing ovation usually reserved for batsmen who've scored far more than 18, in what was a recognition of his previous great deeds rather than this innings.

Tendulkar later said he could not hold back his tears. “I couldn't have asked for more,” said Tendulkar, as his teammates carried him on their shoulders for a victory lap before adoring fans at the Wankhede Satdium.

“Winning the World Cup is the ultimate thing. It is the proudest moment of my life. It shows it is never too late,” he said referrring to India's wait for 28 years for the coveted crown. “I thank my teammates who were fabulous. I could not really hold back my tears. These are happy tears so I don't mind crying.”

India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni said Tendulkar was “made by God just to play cricket”. “When God made Tendulkar, he made him just to play cricket,” Dhoni said.

“From the very first ball he ever faced on the international scene, he has looked at giving his 100 per cent. Players have come and players have gone, but Tendulkar has just grown from strength to strength.”

Asked what set Tendulkar apart, Dhoni replied: “It definitely has to be his level of dedication towards the game and the intensity with which he has played for the last 21 years.

“Even today, he takes every training session seriously. He would much rather not turn up for training than joke around once on the ground. He doesn't leave anything for tomorrow.”

The captain jokingly added: “We are blessed that he is a genius.

Tendulkar won't stop - Kirsten

After winning the World Cup, Sachin Tendulkar said he had achieved the one thing he had dreamt about when he started playing cricket. But he may not hang up his boots just yet. When asked about his retirement, Tendulkar deflected the question initially, before saying he saw no reason to change things as he was still enjoying the game.

"This is a moment to celebrate, not one to think about my future," Tendulkar told the ICC. "This is the reason I started playing cricket; to do something for the country. The process has been a long one, and I am still enjoying my game, so I don't see the reason to change anything."

Gary Kirsten, for whom the World Cup final was his last game as coach of India, also said he didn't think Tendulkar would stop here. "Sachin is the greatest sporting role model I've met in my life," Kirsten said. "He's had an incredible last three or four years, and he's enjoying his cricket even more. I don't think he is going to stop."

Tendulkar has had to wait till his sixth World Cup campaign to win the trophy, and when asked whether this was the final accolade he needed to complete his closet-full of achievements, he said it was in fact the first thing he wanted to achieve.

"As a young boy I dreamt of winning this trophy; that's where it all started. This is by far the best moment and it's the one I've been waiting for for 24 years. There have been heart-breaking losses; in past campaigns we lost in the semi-finals and finals. I never gave up because this was my dream and now the team has managed to win this cup for the nation."

After their victory on Saturday, the Indian team spent the night celebrating with their families and friends before going to Raj Bhavan on Sunday to meet the Indian president. But what Tendulkar is looking forward to is sharing the experience with the Indian public.

"The victory hasn't sunk in yet because I haven't faced the general crowd outside. I've just mingled around with my friends and family. We've been in a close unit behind a wall of security. We haven't had a chance to experience or share our joy with everyone else. That's a reaction I'm really looking forward to because I can imagine what it would be like. All I've seen is their reactions on the news channels and it's absolutely fascinating."

I walked because I was out: Tendulkar

Sachin Tendulkar explained what prompted him to walk in the Group 'B' game against the West Indies on Sunday; He was out.

The Little Master is surprised by the debate on his walking, after faintly nicking a delivery from seamer Ravi Rampaul in the first over of the match, has triggered.

Tendulkar didn't wait for a decision by umpire Steve Davis who actually turned down the appeal. "You think I am mad (to walk if he was not out)? Yes, I was out. That's why I walked to the pavilion. Of course, I was out," Tendulkar told.

"The ball first kissed my bat. That was like a feather touch, and then it kissed my gloves and went to the 'keeper. It was a genuine dismissal," the batting superstar described his dismissal.

Tendulkar's walk came a day after Australian captain Ricky Ponting stood his crease despite clearly edging offie Mohammad Hafeez in the tie against Pakistan in Colombo.

But the world's leading run-getter was untouched by all the talk about his walk.

Tendulkar has told people close to him that there was no point in standing his crease because the Decision Review System would have revealed the nick. And that's what happened in Ponting's case! The early dismissal meant that Tendulkar had to wait another day to get to the milestone
of 100 international centuries.

However, the 37-year-old Mumbaikar reached another landmark in his more than 21-year-long career: The match was against the West Indies was his 450th ODI appearance.

"I was not aware of that figure. Later on, I came to know that I had played in 450 one-day matches. It feels good," Tendulkar said.

Sachin never treated the game as source of income: Ranatunga

The glamour and glitz of Twenty20 has had its adverse affect on Test cricket and only someone of Sachin Tendulkar's stature can help restore the waning popularity of the traditional form of the game, feels former Sri Lankan captain Arjuna Ranatunga.

The Lankan captain lavished praise on Sachin for not treating the game as a source of income.

"Sachin is an iconic figure. We need cricketers like him to save Test cricket. As long as Sachin is playing, I am sure Test cricket is safe," Rantunga said from Colombo while congratulating the champion batsman on his 50th Test century.

"He has been playing for more than 20 years now. I think he is a rare cricketer who does not consider cricket as a source of income. This is the secret of his longevity and phenomenal success as well," the cricketer turned politician said.

The skipper of the 1996 World cup winning Lankan team also believes that some of the greatest attributes of Sachin like dedication, commitment and passion for the game is lacking in cricketers of modern era.

"Sachin has sacrificed a lot to reach the pinnacle. He has sacrificed playing T20 international cricket which is all about money and glamour.

"I have not seen Sir Don playing but Sachin is the best batman in modern era. It is not fair to compare two legends of different generation. Bradman was the best in his era and Sachin is the best in his era," said Ranatunga.

Rantunga also dismissed criticism that Sachin hasn't been a match-winner or a finisher of the game.

"I don't endorse these kind of media generated arguments. This man has scored so many runs, centuries and has played several crucial knocks. What else do you expect from him?" said the burly former Lankan captain.

He feels that it was privilege to compete with Sachin for more than a decade.

"Sachin is very humble. A real gentleman. He is very down to earth despite his stupendous achievements. I consider myself fortunate that I have played enough cricket against him," said Ranatunga who had retired after the 1999 World Cup.

Ranatunga feels that it's entirely upto Sachin as to how long he wants to continue playing.

"It is upto him as to how long he wants to play. As far as I am concerned, we are fortunate that we can watch him bat. Once he retires, the cricket fraternity will need him even more as he will remain the biggest ambassador of the game," Ranatunga concluded.

None can come anywhere close to Sachin's record: Richards

Sachin Tendulkar's career longevity and his remarkable achievements make him a class apart, according to the legendary Sir Vivian Richards who reckons that the Indian maestro has set benchmarks that no other contemporary cricketer can come anywhere close to.

Richards said Tendulkar has survived for so long in international cricket because of his "amazing dedication" and it was only a matter of time when he scripts history by becoming the first cricketer to score 50 Test centuries.

"He can certainly achieve that (scoring 50 Test centuries). I think the way the games are going at present, it would be very difficult for anyone to break that record. He is way ahead of others," Richards said in an interview here today.

Richards, one of the most destructive batsman of his era, said only Australian captain Ricky Ponting had a slim chance of coming anywhere near Tendulkar's records among contemporary cricketers.

"I can't see any individual, the closest guy who would come to that may be Ricky (Ponting). But the way things are going on in Australia, they are calling for his head, so I don't know really know how long he will be around. He is the only individual I think who could be close to Sachin's record. But I think it would be hard to surpass," he said.

The West Indian batting great attributed Tendulkar's longevity to the way he has conducted himself right through his career and his discipline among other things.

"Tendulkar is 37, still going great. It's all about how you have conducted yourself. I guess there were times when it looked pretty doubtful with injuries, starting with the back, would have most certainly affected his career but it's due to persistence, dedication, discipline and confidence that you survive for so long," he explained.

Tendulkar is today's Bradman, says Brian Lara

The comparisons between Sachin Tendulkar and Don Bradman started almost as soon as the Indian batting genius hit the field as a precocious teenager.

Yet, as long as Brian Lara was on the field, there was always a nagging doubt, whether the great West Indian was somehow better. The tongues had really started wagging when Sachin suffered the tennis elbow injury and some had the temerity to question whether he deserved to retain his place in Team India.

However, now we are getting the news from the horse's mouth himself - Lara has said that Sachin is the Bradman of today.

While Lara may have bowed out from any comparisons involving himself he did however, put them (Sachin and Bradman) in different categories -to keep the fans guessing!

Saluting the longevity of Sachin Tendulkar, West Indies great Brian Lara has described the Indian batting legend as the 'Don Bradman' of modern era but refused to compare the icons of different eras.

Sachin's stupendous run inspires me: Ponting

Australian cricket captain Ricky Ponting is inspired by the way Sachin Tendulkar is playing late in his career, and said he hopes to get better with age like the 'little master'.

Ponting said the thought of retirement has not crossed his mind but it would depend a lot on how he fares in the upcoming Ashes series and World Cup early next year.

"Even at my age we can find ways to improve and I think Sachin has been a great example of that," Ponting was quoted as saying by the Sydney Morning Herald.

"I think he made nine international hundreds in the last year at 37 years of age, so hopefully I can do something similar in the coming years."

"If I play well through the Ashes and well through the World Cup, then I will continue to play."

Sachin is a batting professor, says Kirsten

Sachin Tendulkar has not missed out an opportunity to shower praise on Team India coach Gary Kirsten, who became India's next foreign coach after the departure of Australian Greg Chappell.

Now, it's Kirsten's turn to use the praise brush. I think he (Tendulkar) is a professor in his batting. He has got incredible knowledge about his own batting and basically uses me as a sounding board.

After 21 years of playing the game he still wants to learn about his batting and still feels he needs someone to bounce ideas off. It has been a real privilege to have had that opportunity. I absolutely love it.

Every now and again we have had lengthy conversations about his batting, and other times we have had very little. It does vary according to how he is feeling about his batting.

One great example for young batsmen around the world I use is: Tendulkar studies the whole book for the exam. He does not leave anything to chance.

He will never finish a net session till he has made sure he has done everything that he feels is required to get him ready for the next match.

Sometimes it is 300 balls, other times it is 1500 balls, in the week leading up to the match. He has to leave the net feeling comfortable.

Young cricketers, are you all listening?

Tendulkar greatest batsman of all time: Zaheer Abbas

Pakistan's famous Test batsman Zaheer Abbas rates Sachin Tendulkar higher than Don Bradman and believes that the Indian master is the greatest batsman of all time.

"People keep calling him the greatest," said Zaheer referring to Bradman, the Aussie legend. "I never saw him (Bradman) bat but I know, somehow, that he couldn't have been better than Tendulkar. This boy has certainly gone a step ahead of the Don," Zaheer said.

"Tendulkar is so good and so lucky to be born at just the right time. It's a great combination."

Zaheer believes that Pakistan's erratic batsmen should learn a thing or two from Tendulkar.

"Just look at that guy; I mean he has been playing for 21 years, has scored thousands of runs, dozens of centuries but is still as hungry for more as a debutant. It's such an inspiring sight to see him go out there and still bat like he batted as a teenager. Our batsmen should learn from him," he said.

Sachin honoured at Asian Awards

Awards and accolades continue to follow Sachin Tendulkar who added the ‘Lebara People’s Choice’ honour at the inaugural Asian Awards to his trophy cabinet.

Presenting the award to the iconic batsman, Ratheesan Yoganathan, CEO Lebara, said, “Tendulkar is one of the greatest cricketers of all time. Sachin is a hero and a role model to many young Indians.”

“His skill on the pitch is remarkable, but his influence goes beyond just cricket — he has become an inspiration for future generations,” he added.

Tendulkar said getting popular choice awards is the ultimate honour. “To receive an accolade from your peers is one thing, but to receive acknowledgment from the public is the ultimate honour. Thank you to all those who voted for me,” he said.

British media urges Wayne Rooney to learn from Tendulkar

The British media has lavished praise on iconic batsman Sachin Tendulkar and according to a column written by former England cricketer Ed Smith, Manchester United star Wayne Rooney should learn how to turn expectations into inspiration.

In an article headlined 'Sanctuary of crease lets Tendulkar reveal genius,' Smith had written, "Twice last week, sportsmen have proved me spectacularly wrong. First, Sachin Tendulkar reached 14,000 Test-match runs. And that's not the amazing part.


"It took him fewer innings to get from 13,000 to 14,000 than any other 1,000-run chunk of his career. A case could be made that he is at his best now, at 37," the newspaper noted.

The article said Tendulkar and Rooney were destined for rare greatness, even from teenage. Tendulkar has gone on and done it.

A year ago, Rooney looked placed to do the same. But now, as never before, there are real doubts that he will become the player we once assumed he would be.

"Make no mistake, Tendulkar's career has not been as serene as it might look, there have been arguments with coaches and match referees, an unsatisfactory spell as captain and long phases when the muse has deserted him.

"Tendulkar has had countless moments when frustration could have overwhelmed him. He has never blown his top, never lost his dignity. Instead,frustration has inpired him."

"Above all, his career has been played out under the shadow of phenomenal expectation. Footballers in England have to deal with being heroes. In India it is even worse: they are meant to be Gods."

"According to the report 'Tendulkar has come to the conclusion that there is one place where he is free from the hassles of fame. There is one realm where he cannot be pestered. It is called the crease.

"With the bat in his hands, Tendulkar is the conductor of his own life, not just a participant in a soap opera. There, out in the middle, no one can stop him being himself - not a restless media, not overly demanding fans, not intering coaches or greedy agents."

"It is the ultimate irony: the greatest actors are never freer than when they're on the stage. That is the way for Rooney to find the way out of his present difficulties - he must have the bravery to express himself on the pitch, to make it his sanctuary."

"If he allows himself to become embittered and resentful, he will not only become estranged from his fans, but also from his talent. No wonder the ball is bouncing off him at the moment; he probably would like to repel the whole game.

"Instead, he must learn to love it again. Shamed by alleged events off the pitch and embarrassed by events on it, Rooney could be forgiven for feeling sorry for himself," the report said.

"It would be a normal thing to feel. But he doesn't aspire to normality, but to greatness. And greatness, as Tendulkar has showed demands a superhuman degree of resilience and emotional dexterity. Rooney must locate his inner Tendulkar, a genius who got even with his critics by scoring hundreds."

"For Rooney, in every sense, it's time to turn the pressure into goals."

Tendulkar better than ever

Sachin Tendulkar has been in awesome form in 2010, and the journey from 13,000 to 14,000 runs has taken him the fewest number of innings

Sachin Tendulkar is getting older, and his skills are getting better and better. At the ripe age of 37 years and 169 days, Tendulkar has become the first batsman to get to 14,000 Test runs. Even better than the fact that he got there was the manner in which he raced from 13,000 to 14,000. If the question were asked, "Is Tendulkar playing the best he ever has?", the answer could well be, "Yes, he is."

Tendulkar reached 13,000 early this year, against Bangladesh in Chittagong. At the end of that match, he had 13,091 runs; since then, he has required only 12 more innings to crack the 14,000 mark, averaging more than 84 during this period, which is the highest he has ever averaged to get from one 1000-run mark to the next. Twelve innings is the least he has needed ever, and he has scored an amazing four hundreds and three fifties - including a 98 in the previous Test - during this period.

Tendulkar's career in 1000-run intervals

Runs	Innings	Average	50s	100s
1,000	29	39.96	4	4
2,000	16	72.61	6	3
3,000	23	50.66	5	3
4,000	19	56.61	3	4
5,000	16	59.60	2	4
6,000	18	69.06	4	4
7,000	16	75.21	4	4
8,000	17	57.18	4	3
9,000	26	54.82	5	3
10,000	16	62.46	4	2
11,000	28	38.07	3	3
12,000	24	46.19	2	6
13,000	19	65.87	4	5
14,000	12	84.18	3	4

The year 2010 has been a spectacular one for Tendulkar. He has already passed 1000 runs for the year for a record sixth time (Brian Lara, Ricky Ponting and Mathew Hayden have done it five times), and given India's calendar for the rest of the year, he has a chance to go much further. After this Test in Bangalore, India have five more coming up before the end of the year - three at home against New Zealand, and two in South Africa. That should give Tendulkar ample opportunity to make 2010 his most prolific one ever - the highest he has scored in a year so far is 1392 in 16 Tests in 2002. He played 26 innings that year, averaged 55.68 and scored four hundreds. In 14 innings in 2010, he has already scored five hundreds and averages 87.25. At this rate, he is certainly within reach of the record for most hundreds in a calendar year - Mohammad Yousuf's nine in 2006 - though the record for most runs - Yousuf's 1788 the same year - might be a bit of a stretch.

Tendulkar's awesome run over the last four years has just increased the distance between him and Ponting in the race for the highest all-time run-getter. At the end of 2006, Tendulkar, with an aggregate of 10,590 runs, was 1267 ahead of Ponting's 9323. More importantly, Ponting seemed to have all the momentum - he averaged 88.86 in 2006 and scored seven centuries from ten matches, while Tendulkar averaged 24.27, with no centuries in eight Tests. In that year alone, Ponting scored 1066 runs more than Tendulkar. Since then, though, it's been all Tendulkar, and the gap between him and Ponting has increased to 1839.

Tendulkar best cricketer in world: Ganguly

Former India captain Sourav Ganguly on Saturday said Sachin Tendulkar is the best cricketer in the world.

Having played together for years till he retired from international cricket, Ganguly said: "I haven't seen Sir Donald Bradman playing, but I have seen Sachin. To me, he himself is a milestone, and the best cricketer in the world."

The Bengal ace said Tendulkar, who has been bestowed with the the ICC Cricketer of the Year, is the role model for many.

"He is 37 now and is still going strong. He has proved that performance is the last word in cricket," Ganguly said.

The Big Three of Indian cricket - Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman - are difficult to replace.

"After they retire, the gap can be filled in. But it would be difficult to replace them. These players are a class apart," he said.

Tendulkar named cricketer of the year

Veteran batsman Sachin Tendulkar has won the ICC's prestigious cricketer of the year award for the first time, reflecting the Indian's continued assault on the record books.

The 37-year-old became the first man to score 200 in a one-day international, in February against South Africa, and has extended his record of Test runs and centuries to 13,973 and 48.

He headed off teammate Virender Sehwag, South Africa batsman Hashim Amla and England spinner Graeme Swann to claim the Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy -- his first International Cricket Council award of any type -- along with the People's Choice prize.

"I'm really excited to have won two awards, and this last season for the entire team has been really special," he said at the ceremony in the Indian city of Bangalore on Wednesday.

"To win both of these awards tonight is special, and it's the game's way of appreciating someone's performance. It feels great to have two trophies in front of me and I am feeling very proud and happy."

In the period the award covers, Tendulkar scored 1,064 runs at an average of 81.84 in 10 Tests and 914 runs in 17 ODIs at 65.28.

He has risen to third in the Test rankings, his highest position since 2002, following scores of 98 and 38 in Tuesday's one-wicket win over Australia in the opening match in Mohali.

Tendulkar is the first Indian to win the award since Rahul Dravid in 2004, while opening batsman Sehwag was named Test player of the year.

India's ranking as No. 1 Test side in the world was reflected by the presence of Sehwag, Tendulkar and captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni in the ICC team of the year, which also features Amla, Swann, South Africa's Jacques Kallis and Dale Steyn, Australia's Simon Katich and Doug Bollinger, England's James Anderson and Sri Lanka's Kumar Sangakkara.

Tendulkar was also named in the one-day team of the year, which includes ODI award winner AB de Villiers of South Africa, Dhoni and five Australians: captain Ricky Ponting, Bollinger, Ryan Harris, Mike Hussey and Shane Watson. English all-rounders Paul Collingwood and Stuart Broad were also selected along with New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori.

Brendon McCullum won the Twenty20 performance of the year for his 116 not out off 56 balls against Australia in February, while his New Zealand team took the Spirit of Cricket award for the second year in a row.

Young England fast bowler Steve Finn won the emerging player award, with the tall 21-year-old having taken 21 wickets in six Tests in the qualifying period.

Shelley Nitschke became the second Australian to win the women's cricketer of the year award, following Karen Rolton in 2006, while Aleem Dar of the Emirates retained his umpire of the year prize.

Lara praise for Sachin

Brian Lara on Thursday said that there was a “huge gap” between Sir Donald Bradman and modern cricketers in terms of achievement but would like to see his son, if he has one, bat like Sachin Tendulkar.

Lara, in India on a personal visit, heaped praise on Tendulkar not only for the numerous records he had broken but also for his endurance.

“We have been together on tours and we have discussed batting techniques. There has been some quite straightforward appreciation. I have often picked up many of his DVDs and seen his innings. If I have a son I would like to see him bat like Sachin,” Lara said.

Lara said it was not a concern that Tendulkar, who notched up the highest ODI individual score of 200 recently, has not scored a triple in Tests.

Lara was diplomatic when asked if Tendulkar was indeed better than Bradman. “It’s unnecessary to compare players across different eras. I have watched a few tapes of Bradman and if you just consider his Test average of 99.94, there is a huge gap between him and present day batsmen,” he said.

Akram salutes Tendulkar

Sachin Tendulkar has already received rich admiration from two greats — Sunil Gavaskar and Sir Garfield Sobers. On Thursday, the list of his admirers swelled further when Pakistan great and one of the best-ever architects of swing bowling, Wasim Akram, lavished praise on the maestro.

Akram’s words certainly add another dimension to the man’s feat because it comes from a man who has seen Sachin’s artistry from the other side of the wicket having shared numerous duels on the field.

Referring to Sachin’s record knock against South Africa last month — he broke the 200-run barrier in a one-day International — Akram said: “It’s an incredible achievement for a man of 36 years of age. The sheer passion he displays on the field, the commitment with which he approaches every game is exemplary.

“Such an innings on any stage, against any opposition is special. The fact that it came against a team like South Africa made it all the more special. To put it simply, he is the right man for the right record. He deserves it,” Akram, who is in the city to attend the Kolkata Knight Riders’ final preparatory camp as the bowling consultant, said.

He also added that if such records are in one’s destiny, nothing can stop him from achieving it. “Sachin had it in his destiny and there’s nothing much that anyone can do about it.”

Recalling his playing days, the man who boasts of a rare record of having taken more than 400 wickets in both Tests and ODIs, said: “It’s extremely difficult to plan anything for a batsman like Sachin… He is too perfect a batsman to fall into the traps. He has enormous talent and a sound technique. He is not a slogger and that counts.

“His records speaks for himself… He is the highest run-grosser in both Tests and ODIs… And now he also has the record for the most runs in an innings in a one-dayer,” he added.

Asked about the often-made comparisons between the maestro and Sir Don Bradman, Akram said: “Both are from two different eras… But there is no doubt that he is one of the greatest ever.”