End of an era as Sachin Tendulkar calls it a day in ODIs

A prodigal talent who went on to be revered as modern cricket's greatest batsman, Sachin Tendulkar today called time on his ODI career after over two decades of phenomenal feats which are unlikely to be replicated for years to come.

A batsman who reminded the great Sir Donald Bradman of himself, Tendulkar bows out as international cricket's top run-scorer by quite a distance in ODIs. He will, however, continue to play Tests.

At the end of his ODI journey, the 39-year-old right-hander stands on a mammoth mountain of runs – a whopping 18,426 in 463 matches at an average of 44.83.

The Mumbaikar, fondly called Little Master and Master Blaster by his legion of fans all over the world, however, went through a tormenting lean pitch during the final few months in the game.

But without an iota of doubt, Tendulkar, the only batsman to score 100 international centuries -- 51 in Tests and 49 in ODIs, would be remembered as the greatest batsman to have played the game after Bradman even though his glittering career was not without its low ebbs.

He failed miserably as a captain and was bogged down by the massive responsibility of anchoring Indian batting during a time when the fall of his wicket was akin to the team folding up before the likes of Sourav Ganguly and Rahul Dravid blossomed to take some pressure off him.

All of 16 when he made his debut against a ferocious Pakistani team that boasted of Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis, Tendulkar gave an early display of his steely resolve when he continued to bat in a blood-soaked shirt despite being hit on

his face.

That resolve came to define the little man who had the world's most feared bowlers bowing in admiration of his talent and skill. His wicket remains the most cherished for all those who managed to have it against their name.

... contd.

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