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Tendulkar passes the 17,000-run mark in ODIs

Principal Correspondent

Tendulkar achieved the landmark in his 435th match
A dab off Hilfenhaus past square-leg brought up his 17,000th

— Photo: K. R. Deepak

ANOTHER HIGH: Sachin Tendulkar became the first cricketer to cross the 17,000-run mark in ODIs when he reached seven against Australia in the fifth match of the ongoing series at Hyderabad on Thursday. The maestro went on to score his 45th ODI hundred and was batting on 173 (138b, 19x4, 4x6), with India requiring 41 off 30 balls to win with four wickets remaining.

Mohali: An epic journey that began with a blob has now clocked 17,000 One-Day International runs. Sachin Tendulkar made his ODI debut way back in 1989 on a December day at Gujranwala in Pakistan. He lasted just two deliveries as Wasim Akram caught him off Waqar Younis but it was a mere stumble before the giant stride into greatness that has lasted two decades.

The Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium rumbled with incessant applause here on Thursday night as the most awaited seventh run was notched up with a dab off Ben Hilfenhaus past square-leg.

Tendulkar became the first cricketer to score 17,000 runs.

His disciple, Virender Sehwag, was at close quarters to witness history being made while even the battle-hardened Aussies whispered their congratulations.

Tendulkar reached the milestone off the 17th delivery of his nascent innings while India chased Australia’s 350 in the fifth ODI of the Hero Honda Cup series. It was Tendulkar’s 435th limited-over match and he was in the familiar territory of having to shepherd India’s hopes.

Business as usual

The epochal day began with a round of football to loosen up the limbs ahead of the crucial match. Tendulkar played with the same enthusiasm that dominates his cricket as he dribbled the ball, trying to sneak in a goal and never missing an opportunity to hoodwink his rivals, even if it was his own Indian teammates. It was a pointer to his competitive attitude in all walks of life.

“His desire to keep getting better as a player even now is simply great,” Yuvraj Singh had said during the course of this series while rival skippers M.S. Dhoni and Ricky Ponting praised the maestro’s longevity.

— Photo: K.R. Deepak

YET ANOTHER LANDMARK: The crowd went up in resounding applause as Sachin Tendulkar scored his much-awaited 17,000th run.

“More than his records, it’s his longevity at the international level that amazes me,” Ponting said, while Dhoni added: “He walks in to bat every time with a lot of expectations around him and he has been doing this for 20 years!”

“I can’t be running after every record,” Tendulkar had said after getting past Brian Lara’s then world record of 11,953 Test runs at Mohali last year. However, the sheer talent of Indian cricket’s long-distance man has ensured that nearly all the batting records are lined up in his kitty.

Another milestone beckons as Tendulkar requires just 227 runs to reach the 13,000 mark in Tests and that might be his during the upcoming Test series against Sri Lanka.

“Well, almost every month he gets a record!” said Yuvraj, as Indian cricket’s crown jewel glitters bright.

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