HAPPY BIRTHDAY LITTLE MASTER!!

The greatest thing for people who live on numbers is the people who provide those numbers. Who else other than Sachin can give more value to these numbers? Here is a small tribute to this legend who can not be expressed in words. Telling your name itself is a great honour. Thank You Paaji!!

1. Sachin Tendulkar's first numbers in the cricketing arena that, was recognized world over was the partnership of 664 he shared with Vinod Kambli during his school years. Interestingly, he finished his career with the same numbers in a different way. He has played 664 International matches in total, that are split as: 200 Tests, 463 ODIs and 1 T20I.

2. Sachin Tendulkar is the only player to score a century on debut in Ranji Trophy (1988 – 89), Duleep Trophy (1990 – 91) and Irani Cup (1989 – 90).

3. Sachin Tendulkar is the only player to have scored a century in his captaincy debut for India. This still remains a world record for all international matches. He scored 110 against Sri Lanka at Colombo RPS on August 28, 1996.

4. Sachin Tendulkar has played alongside 743 opponents and 123 teammates in ODIs. He has played along side 500 opponents and 93 teammates in Tests.

5. Sachin Tendulkar played his first 32 test matches in 32 different grounds. He has totally played in 59 different test grounds all over the world. He has played in 96 different ODI grounds.

6. Sachin Tendulkar has brought up his century by hitting a 6 in SIX different occassions in Test Match. Another number coincidence.

7. By an odd coincidence Sachin Tendulkar has aggregated same number of runs (5068) in a match’s first innings as well as second innings. Incidentally Sachin Tendulkar holds the record of aggregating most runs in first and second innings of a Test. He has also scored most runs (1625) in match’s fourth innings. His tally of 2996 runs is the third highest in third innings of a Test.

8. Sachin Tendulkar is the only batsman to open his innings in a Test match with 2 sixes. He did this against Australia at Chennai in 2013. Note: I had the greatest and rarest of an opportunity to score that match as one of the official scorers. It was truly a great honour and that was his last match in his 'adopted' home ground too.

9. Sachin Tendulkar has played 146 Tests with Rahul Dravid, 122 with Anil Kumble, 120 with VVS Laxman and 103 with Sourav Ganguly (his world class teammates and best friends on and off the field).

10. Sachin Tendulkar has featured in 72 Test Wins which is the most by an Indian Player.

11. Sachin Tendulkar scored 1522 Test Runs which inclued 5 Test Centuries as a teenager. This is still an amazing world Record.

Sachin Tendulkar started his career of cricket at the age of 11 and here is my small tribute by ending this number session with 11 Stats. His name was christened by his father after the great musician Sachin Dev Burman. He went on to carry his name into a legend of his own style and now many fathers like to christen their children with His name. Hats off Paaji!! A Thank You is too small a word. A big Bow to the Little Master!! Salute Sir!!

Happy Birthday Paaji!!

-Vandhiyadevan