Twenty per cent of all Indians are not sure of two square meals a day., But Tendulkar.............

[Rajan]

Raj Singh Dungarpur: Cricket has penetrated every corner of this country. Like no other thing, not even films. People recognise Sachin Tendulkar more than Shah Rukh Khan. Shah Rukh is unreal, Tendulkar holds the bat and makes runs for India. That is real to people. Twenty per cent of all Indians are not sure of two square meals a day. But if Sachin scores a hundred or India wins, they don't want the second meal. Mark Richardson: Well as far as this tour was concerned, I think New Zealand wanted to see the best of Sachin Tendulkar and they got that. I think that was a massive positive for everyone concerned who enjoys cricket. ============================== My mood lifted after reading these two in cricinfo today......:--D

[Sachinism]

:hail:

[Anakin]

The impact SRT has made on cricket and the nation is beyond any statistics.

[anbuchelvan]

Yes no doubt about it.

[Brainfade]

The impact SRT has made on cricket and the nation is beyond any statistics.

Truer words have not been spoken. I contend that he is the greatest sportsman of all time - for his on-field accomplishments plus his longevity plus his impeccable character, his humility and above all - for carrying with unwavering grace the hopes and dreams of a billion people for 20 years - starting at age 16! No one in the history of sports can beat the combination - Don Bradman, Michael Jordan, Jackie Robinson, Jesse Owens, Pele, Tiger Woods and Muhammad Ali each have *some* of SRTs traits, but none of them have all of it. Given his humility, SRT may himself disagree with me, but he has no argument.

[DomainK]

Truer words have not been spoken. I contend that he is the greatest sportsman of all time - for his on-field accomplishments plus his longevity plus his impeccable character, his humility and above all - for carrying with unwavering grace the hopes and dreams of a billion people for 20 years - starting at age 16! No one in the history of sports can beat the combination - Don Bradman, Michael Jordan, Jackie Robinson, Jesse Owens, Pele, Tiger Woods and Muhammad Ali each have *some* of SRTs traits, but none of them have all of it. Given his humility, SRT may himself disagree with me, but he has no argument.

Very well said and I fully agree.:two_thumbs_up: How many have the maturity and the ability to take that kind of fame and responsibility at the age of 16? I havent seen another one.

[ViruRulez]

The Master rules

[graphic23]

Truer words have not been spoken. I contend that he is the greatest sportsman of all time - for his on-field accomplishments plus his longevity plus his impeccable character, his humility and above all - for carrying with unwavering grace the hopes and dreams of a billion people for 20 years - starting at age 16! No one in the history of sports can beat the combination - Don Bradman, Michael Jordan, Jackie Robinson, Jesse Owens, Pele, Tiger Woods and Muhammad Ali each have *some* of SRTs traits, but none of them have all of it. Given his humility, SRT may himself disagree with me, but he has no argument.

But he played for himself so many times. Very few times can you actually see him playing for the team. - this is what I've read in random tabloids around the world - I don't follow cricket all that much, so I don't know.

[Anakin]

Truer words have not been spoken. I contend that he is the greatest sportsman of all time - for his on-field accomplishments plus his longevity plus his impeccable character, his humility and above all - for carrying with unwavering grace the hopes and dreams of a billion people for 20 years - starting at age 16! No one in the history of sports can beat the combination - Don Bradman, Michael Jordan, Jackie Robinson, Jesse Owens, Pele, Tiger Woods and Muhammad Ali each have *some* of SRTs traits, but none of them have all of it. Given his humility, SRT may himself disagree with me, but he has no argument.

x2 Very good post

[veeru_rocks]

Back home my driver fully illiterate and his all kids line-up to watch cricket and only name they know is Tendulkar... U cud see the happiness on their face over every chauka and chhakka.. Dungarpur aotherwise a chump has said it like it is

[kablooee87]

Raj Singh Dungarpur: Cricket has penetrated every corner of this country. Like no other thing, not even films. People recognise Sachin Tendulkar more than Shah Rukh Khan. Shah Rukh is unreal, Tendulkar holds the bat and makes runs for India. That is real to people. Twenty per cent of all Indians are not sure of two square meals a day. But if Sachin scores a hundred or India wins, they don't want the second meal. Mark Richardson: Well as far as this tour was concerned, I think New Zealand wanted to see the best of Sachin Tendulkar and they got that. I think that was a massive positive for everyone concerned who enjoys cricket. ============================== My mood lifted after reading these two in cricinfo today......:--D

I wonder if anyone asked them.

[Rajan]

I wonder if anyone asked them.

dont die wondering, certainly no one asked them whether they would be willing to become suicide bombers for 15 lacs! Rehman Malik and your journalists confirmed the rate for poverty stricken Pakistanis.unfortunately such opportunities to become rich are not available in india.May be when there are more Madarassas opened up every where, there r possibilities of free food, free education and availability of free suicide bombers too!

[suraj]

Truer words have not been spoken. I contend that he is the greatest sportsman of all time - for his on-field accomplishments plus his longevity plus his impeccable character, his humility and above all - for carrying with unwavering grace the hopes and dreams of a billion people for 20 years - starting at age 16! No one in the history of sports can beat the combination - Don Bradman, Michael Jordan, Jackie Robinson, Jesse Owens, Pele, Tiger Woods and Muhammad Ali each have *some* of SRTs traits, but none of them have all of it. Given his humility, SRT may himself disagree with me, but he has no argument.

Best cricket player maybe but I don't think he is the best sportsman ever you guys get carried away easily

[Sachinism]

Best cricket player maybe but I don't think he is the best sportsman ever you guys get carried away easily

Not really. It depends on how you look at it. I've played cricket a lot, not even at a high level and I know how tough it gets as you move up. Looking at Sachin and his achievements I regard him as one of the best sportsperson ever. I don't watch basketball, so I can't understand how good Michael Jordan was. Never seen Pele, so I don't know exactly how good he is. I've watched Sachin for years and the amount of joy his batting has provided is unmatched Add to that all kinds of records and to remain at the top of his game of his game for 20 years, is some achievement. How many other sportspeople have continued to kick ass for all those years

[Brainfade]

Best cricket player maybe but I don't think he is the best sportsman ever you guys get carried away easily

It obviously depends on the criteria that one uses. Is he the best based on athletic ability? No. Not even close. Is he the best based on sheer statistics? No. Is he the best based on world-beating accomplishments (World Cups etc.)? Certainly not. Is he the best based on character, grace, "groundedness" and humility alone? Certainly in the top 2 or 3. Longevity? Certainly in the top 2 or 3. When you stack it up based on a combination of on-field accomplishments *plus* the personal traits that makes him the perfect role model, he gets my vote. Tiger Woods and maybe Pele come close. Argue that by giving us some other names and say why :-).

[suraj]

Not really. It depends on how you look at it. I've played cricket a lot, not even at a high level and I know how tough it gets as you move up. Looking at Sachin and his achievements I regard him as one of the best sportsperson ever. I don't watch basketball, so I can't understand how good Michael Jordan was. Never seen Pele, so I don't know exactly how good he is. I've watched Sachin for years and the amount of joy his batting has provided is unmatched Add to that all kinds of records and to remain at the top of his game of his game for 20 years, is some achievement. How many other sportspeople have continued to kick ass for all those years

Therein lies the key-maybe you can say that SRT is the best sportsman that you have had the fortune to watch!!

[Brainfade]

Not really. It depends on how you look at it. I've played cricket a lot, not even at a high level and I know how tough it gets as you move up. Looking at Sachin and his achievements I regard him as one of the best sportsperson ever. I don't watch basketball, so I can't understand how good Michael Jordan was. Never seen Pele, so I don't know exactly how good he is. I've watched Sachin for years and the amount of joy his batting has provided is unmatched Add to that all kinds of records and to remain at the top of his game of his game for 20 years, is some achievement. How many other sportspeople have continued to kick ass for all those years

I am old enough to remember Pele. Didn't watch him live, but have watched enough clips. He was absolutely magic. And I don't remember any character issues - so he comes close to SRT. As does Tiger Woods (minus the subtle hubris). Michael Jordan was absolutely magic, too. Based on athletic ability and on-field/on-court accomplishments, he trumps SRT. But the guy is a controversy-machine. Big-time gambler and full of hubris. Hardly a role-model. For NBA role models, one needs to look at David Robinson and Tim Duncan.

[Sachinism]

I am old enough to remember Pele. Didn't watch him live' date=' but have watched enough clips. He was absolutely magic. And I don't remember any character issues - so he comes close to SRT. As does Tiger Woods (minus the subtle hubris). Michael Jordan was absolutely magic, too. Based on athletic ability and on-field/on-court accomplishments, he trumps SRT. But the guy is a controversy-machine. Big-time gambler and full of hubris. Hardly a role-model. For NBA role models, one needs to look at David Robinson and Tim Duncan.[/quote']

Therein lies the key-maybe you can say that SRT is the best sportsman that you have had the fortune to watch!!

The point I was trying to make was that it is difficult to say who is the best sportsperson ever, because you would need an in-depth understand of each and every sport. I doubt anybody can say they posses an in-depth understanding of each sport. Sachin's achievements to me are outstanding, dealing the the unbelievable pressure that nobody ever has to deal with, he is still able to deliver. At a young age, put up against some of the worlds quickest bowlers, he has shown his class. Compare Sachin to those in his field and he comes up trumps.

[Anakin]

I don't see how SRT is not comparable to other greatest sportsmen. And as someone had already mentioned, when considering every aspect, SRT can easily come up on top of all of them.