Local Indian publications pounced on the story, and the following day, the Mumbai Mirror splashed across its front page: “Sachin Breaks Record With Tweet Nothings.”

Everything from which personal photographs he uploaded to how his follower statistics compared to other Indian celebrities (he outdid Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan’s day one) became fodder for an article.

The reaction stems from India’s obsession with cricket, Tendulkar and, increasingly, social media. “India’s love for cricket verges on the pathological,” Jason Overdorf wrote in GlobalPost in March.

Walk by a field, beach, back alley or even cemetery, and you are likely to find a few boys or young men gathered around a bat and ball. And Tendulkar, who uses the account name sachin_rt, is considered one of India’s all-time greatest cricket players. He breaks record after record for his batting prowess. In February, he became the first cricketer to score 200 runs in a one-day international match.

As equally impressive as the number of people who have flocked to Tendulkar on Twitter — his followers at this writing stood at more than 253,000 — is the level of enthusiasm expressed by his fans. Many who have sent him messages or written notes on his photographs sound overwhelmed with joy by the mere presence of him on Twitter.

A fan who goes by the Twitter handle @anil_vp commented wrote: “its like a dream … to be able to interact with the GOD of cricket for a layman …thk u so much sachin making the dream come true.”

@raam1711 commented: “I am able to achieve my goals and target by following you. You are a very great person and human being. I admire you for eveything [sic].” And @rakasit wrote, “never i expected that God would himself be on twitter ”

Some argue that the role of Twitter in India should not be over-emphasized because most people in this country of 1.2 billion do not have access to the internet, let alone the knowledge, ability or desire to type away often frivolous 140-character messages.

On the other hand, social media expert Gaurav Mishra argues that while Twitter has only about 2 million users in India, the local media follow the big names on the site and then broadcast to the rest of society what they have written.

“Celebrities in India use Twitter not only because they can talk directly to a few thousand fans, but also because they can make provocative statements in public, which journalists can pick up for new stories,” Mishra, CEO of the online marketing firm 2020 Social, wrote in an email. “The actual reach of Twitter is much higher than the number of users.”

A former junior minister of foreign affairs, Shashi Tharoor, repeatedly made the news for his controversial tweets on everything from visa restrictions to cows.

To

SACHIN RAMESH TENDULKAR

One of the most iconic Indians ever in the history…
Somebody who has given unforgettable memories to millions..

And finally

THE GREATEST BATSMAN OF ALL TIME.

From

Millions of cricket lovers all over the globe.

Guys, you can also participate in the celebrations going on at Tendulkar Opus where we are collecting messages from all the fan sites & communities on the web and compiling them together at one place.

Visit TendulkarOpus Birthday Page

The page has already received thousands of messages from facebook, twitter & other websites so be part of one of the largest online congregation of Tendulkar fans ever to mark this special occasion.

Post your message:

http://tendulkaropus.com

Sachin’s double hundred against South Africa in Gwalior has not only silenced his critics, but clean bowled the Shiv Sena, which had taken on the iconic batsman over his ‘Mumbai for all’ remark.

“Hundred crore people of this country have already crowned Sachin as Bharat Ratna,” Sena chief Bal Thackeray said in an editorial in party mouthpiece ‘Samana’.

“Shivaji Maharaj used to vanquish Moghuls on battlefield. Similarly, Sachin is a warrior on cricket battlefield. Such warriors are born only in Maharashtra ,” Thackeray said.

“Shivaji wielded the sword. Similarly, Sachin wields the bat,” the editorial said.

“Sachin does not need anyone’s recommendation to be awarded Bharat Ratna. He is already one,” it said.
The Sena leadership had last year questioned Tendulkar’s loyalty to Maharashtra following his ‘Mumbai for all’ remark.
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“We will ask the central government to award Bharat Ratna to Sachin, who has mesmerised cricket lovers the world over,” deputy chief minister Chhagan Bhujbal said.

“Even cricketers around the globe are saying Sachin has attained a stature higher than that of legendary Sir Don Bradman,” Bhujbal told reporters.

The state government has proposed to set up a museum devoted to Sachin Tendulkar, he said.

“The museum will showcase the glorious life and career of the great batsman and will serve as an inspiration to the young generation,” Bhujbal said.

Sachin became the first cricketer to cross the 200-figure mark in one-day internationals.

(Sify Sports)

I have always refrained from all forms of exaggeration on the website(well, apart from the coma comment above) so this could be one of the first or may be it isn’t? You decide.

My question is:

Is Sachin Tendulkar the greatest batsman of all time?

21 years of international cricket performing against different bowlers all over the world, managing the expectations from 1 billion people, surviving the third umpires & super slow motion cameras which assist the bowlers, and finally scoring 93 hundreds(if you count the world record 200 along his hundreds), 147 fifties & 31,000 runs. How many batsmen in the world have done this before?

I am a great fan of Sir Don Bradman. I have preserved a cricket magazine which ran a Don special about 12 years back. So, I am not typical!

Now, the Don hadn’t played under lights, no One day internationals to run parallel with Test matches, no computers to spot his weakness & no hectic schedules. But to his credit(and he’s got plenty), Don played on uncovered(mean & fast) pitches without any protection, handled expectations & kept humble(just like Sachin), and had a long & distinguished career.

Batting averages will imply Sir Don is the best ever. But you consider the number of runs scored & Sachin is simply the best ever. So, what do YOU think?!

The best replies will be compiled on a special page called “The Fan Pulse” which will be linked permanently on the home page.

Once again, the question is:
Is Sachin Tendulkar the greatest batsman of all time?

“Sachin Tendulkar has yet again re-written the record books of cricket, by climbing yet another Mt Everest of the game” – Pratibha Patil, President of India.

“Its a magnificent achievement. Sachin has led by example and all Indians are proud of his achievement” – Dr. Manmohan Singh, Prime Minister of India.

“There is just no question about that. He is the greatest batsman the game has ever seen.

See his record! Who else has got 90-plus centuries, 17000-plus runs in ODIs and 13000-plus runs in Test cricket? He is comfortably the greatest batsman ever” – Sunil Gavaskar

“Yes, yes, yes! Well done, Sachin my friend! Congrats and well done! (It’s) awesome.” – Shane Warne on Twitter

“It shows his mental and physical toughness. He’s a player who does not throw away his wicket once he’s set. He always places a huge price on his wicket” – Dilip Vengsarkar

“Sachin — the greatest ever player ever — without any doubt” – Lalit Modi

“What an innings it was! He came close to achieving it twice. I always felt that Tendulkar and Sanath Jayasuriya are capable of doing that” – Kumara Sangakkara

“He is my favourite player. I had told that one day he would go on to break all batting records and now you see him scoring runs and runs” – Javed Miandad

“I think if you ask Saeed Anwar [who jointly held the previous record for highest ODI knock], he would say he’s happy that Tendulkar broke his record” – Aamir Sohail

“Whatever record is seen to be impossible to achieve, he makes it possible. That’s all I can say.

“It seems as he’s getting older, he is becoming more and more mature. No wonder Sir Donald Bradman saw himself in the way Sachin bats” – Bapu Nadkarni, Former India Test player

“It was a terrific innings and there is no one more deserving of getting that record than Tendulkar himself” – Sanjay Manjrekar (one of Sachin’s biggest critics)

“He is a classic batsman. He played authentic shots and showed you do not need to slog to play well in One-dayers” – Jacques Kallis

“Given that Sachin Tendulkar is the first man in history to get to the mark in his 21st year of international cricket, with mind and body intact through astonishing pressure and responsibility, makes the feat all the more laudable” – Anil Kumble

“He is better than Brian Lara and Ricky Ponting, the other two great players of my era. Better than Sir Viv Richards, Sunil Gavaskar and Allan Border. And I would even say better than Sir Don Bradman himself.

My admiration for him is total. To steal the nickname of a certain football coach who led Inter Milan against Chelsea on Wednesday, Sachin Tendulkar truly is The Special One” – Nasser Hussain

“Nobody else does deserve to get there. It’s only Sachin who deserves to scale that peak. 200 is a big score in one-day cricket. It’s not easy to get there. It took him 20 long years to get there. He has come a long way. It’s Sachin’s greatness. Records are meant to be broken. I heard somebody [Charles Coventry] equalled my record sometime ago. But I did not know him. It’s great that my friend from Mumbai Sachin broke it. I am very happy for him.” – Saeed Anwar (who scored 194 v India)

“I thought the way he celebrated when he reached his 200 epitomised the man’s persona. There was no running laps around the field, no aggressive gestures, nothing over-the-top. He did what he always does, raised both his arms, closed his eyes for a moment and quietly acknowledged that it had been done.” – Anil Kumble

I was very proud to have held the record for a little while but there could be no better man in the history of the game to break through the 200 barrier. Zimbabwe versus Bangladesh … India versus South Africa. Not quite in the same bracket, are they?” – Charles Coventry (Scored 194* v Bangladesh & held the previous world record)

“The unbeaten 200 that Sachin made at Gwalior is a benchmark for others to follow. Now, there will be lot of players who believe that they can also make 200 in an one-day international. We will wait and see.” – VVS Laxman

“He has always respected the game and is dedicated to it. But I think this is not enough for him. He is hungry and I am sure he will keep creating new records. He is a dedicated student of the game and is still keen to learn things.” – Ramakant Achrekar, Tendulkar’s childhood coach

“He has got so much class. His greatest strength is the longevity, to be able to be so successful at a young age and to still be doing the same thing 20 years on. We’re blessed to still have such a great player playing this game.” – Michael Clarke

“It’s really amazing. I am honoured to share the dressing room with him” – MS Dhoni

“To have an Indian as the highest run-getter is an honour. We had Sunil Gavaskar in the past and now Sachin has regained that record for us.” – Kris Srikanth

“His records may be overhauled but his grace would be unmatchable” – Rameez Raja

“He always appeared very cool when he was playing and even otherwise. That was the hallmark of his greatness.” – Gundappa Vishwanath

“Sachin – the greatest ever player ever – without any doubt… I salute Sachin… World’s greatest sportsman. We can see him only rise. (He is an) inspiration to us all. He is the best.” – Lalit Modi

“I think Tendulkar has outdone all the other greats with his hunger for the game which is amazing” – Abdul Qadir, ex-Pakistan cricket

“What has impressed me the most about Tendulkar all these years is his humble and simple nature. I never saw him ever let the fame and adulation he enjoys get to his head” – Inzamam-ul-Haq

“I had heard a lot of about him when I first played against him but what struck me was his simple nature. I don’t recall a match in which I saw him being over-aggressive, brash or sledge someone. That is what makes him such a great cricketer. He uses aggression to his own benefit” – Rashid Latif

“There was perfection in his batting then and it is the same now. Obviously he is a human being and he has also failed many times but overall I don’t think I have seen a bigger batsman than him in my time” – Moin Khan

39 years of One day internationals and not a single double hundred. Many batsmen came close but none succeeded. But today was different. Sachin Tendulkar had a date with history. The master scored an unbeaten 200 against South Africa at Gwalior becoming the first ever batsman in ODI history to score a double hundred.

What a proud moment for all Indians! India’s greatest son has yet again given us a moment to cherish.

“It can be said that he is the Bradman of our times and I do feel privileged to have played a lot of cricket against him.” – Former Australian captain Steve Waugh.

“I think, apart from Sir Garfield Sobers nobody else has played 20 years in international cricket and 20 years playing at the very highest level and to the very highest standard is an achievement beyond compare.” – Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar.

“He continues to give more than 100 per cent and his schoolboy-like enthusiasm for the game is something I envy and admire. For the team he is the best available coaching manual.” – Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni.

“There will never be another Sachin Tendulkar.” – Sri Lankan off-spinner Muttiash Muralitharan.

“The way he has taken on the role of India’s greatest sporting ambassador… He has, among other things, inspired a generation and more to play cricket.” – India’s 1983 World Cup winning captain Kapil Dev.

“His humbleness and simplicity has helped him to achieve what others could not. His dedication is one of the main reasons for his achievements and he is role model to up and coming youngsters. In India every youngster who is in to school or college cricket wants to become a Sachin.” – Former captain and Chairman of India’s selection panel Kris Srikkanth.

“What I admire about Sachin is his humility, respect for elders and the passion for the game that he has retained even after so many years and after achieving so much in cricket. He has not changed at all.” – Former India captain Dilip Vengsarkar.

“He is a great human being, a great player and I have been very lucky to have a friend like Sachin Tendulkar. I want to wish him all the luck. I want to congratulate him for finishing his 20 years in international cricket. He has dominated world cricket for 20 years and I hope that he will continue to dominate it.” – Indian off-spinner Harbhajan Singh.

“I have delayed my shoots many times to watch Sachin bat” – Filmstar Amitabh Bachchan.

“…when he is in full flow, the mild-mannered boyish cricketer can look extremely intimidating. If there is a resonance, I find of myself in his batting, it is in that intent that he communicates.” – Former West Indies captain and batting great Vivian Richards.

“Over the years Sachin has remained remarkably consistent and has more records than anybody I can remember. His talent and versatility are unquestioned which is why the only question that rankles is why he did not win enough games for his team?” – Former Pakistan captain Imran Khan.

“His biggest strength as a batsman is his adaptability. And that is something really. really amazing, something so special.” – Former India captain Sourav Ganguly.

“In his life cricket comes first. When he is on tour he is thinking about nothing but cricket, and when he is not on tour he dedicates quality time to his family. That shows his dedication to the game and to his family. He has found the right balance.” – Tendulkar’s India teammate and opening partner Virender Sehwag.

“He loves cricket and with his hardwork, focus and commitment he has truly become a outstanding ambassador for the sport at a time when commercialism is so rampant.” – Former Pakistan captain and coach Javed Miandad.

“I think Tendulkar has outdone all the other greats with his hunger for the game which is amazing.” – Former Pakistan leg-spinner Abdul Qadir.

“What has impressed me the most about Tendulkar all these years is his humble and simple nature. I never saw him ever let the fame and adulation he enjoys get to his head.” – Former Pakistan captain Inzamam-ul Haq.

“I don’t watch cricket much but I admire Sachin Tendulkar. I like the way he has conducted himself over the years. He has been such a huge star for so long but has not had a single controversy against his name.” – Olympic bronze medallist boxer Vijender Singh.

“The best thing about Sachin Tendulkar is that he’s completely rooted, down to earth, and a thorough gentleman. He’s probably the best thing to have happened to Indian cricket and maybe Indian sport as a whole.” – Indian tennis star Sania Mirza.

“I see him continuing until more landmarks like 50 hundreds. 100 centuries is not difficult for him because the passion for the game is still very much there even after 20 years,” – Former Pakistan captain Rashid Latif.

Shiv Sena mouth piece Saamna has targeted Sachin Tendulkar again.

Days after Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray slammed Sachin Tendulkar over his remarks on the Marathi issue, another Sena leader Sanjay Raut defended his boss.

In a scathing article in the newspaper, Raut says that Tendulkar is not bigger than the state of Maharashtra.

Comparing Tendulkar to Gavaskar (60), Raut alleged, “There has been no instance of Sachin extending a helping hand to other Marathi cricketers. Forget others, he did not even support Vinod Kambli.”

“In contrast, Gavaskar when he captained India, had half the team drawn from Mumbai and Maharashtra. He gave Test caps to many Marathi players including Suru Naik and Zulphikar Parkar at least for one match,” he said, while also acknowledging Tendulkar’s greatness as a cricketer.

“In this context, Gavaskar is a genuine ‘Maharashtrian’ and the whole country loves him even now in the same way,” the article claimed.

“Players like Sachin have become rich because of game of cricket. Sachin’s wealth has crossed Rs 200-crore mark. We expect Sachin to be as ‘proud’ of Maharashtra as Saurav Ganguly is of Bengal,” it said. “Rahul Dravid too is a Marathi player but he is loyal to Karnataka,” Raut said.He also said that there is nothing wrong in Bal Thackeray targeting the cricketing icon.

Tendulkar had drawn the ire of the Sena chief after he described himself as an Indian first.

Sachin had disapproved the hardline Marathi stand of MNS chief Raj Thackeray and said that Mumbai belongs to all Indians.

Thackeray had virtually warned Sachin telling him to confine himself to his game and not make political statements.

-With inputs from PTI