WHO IS CALLED GOD OF CRICKET?

You should know that IPL (Indian Premier League) is the richest sports ownership of any sports in the world and the cricket players are very highly prized and traded.

A Worldwide Televised Event
On April 3, 20, a sports event was televised in over 200 countries to over 2.7 billion television viewers. The 20 World Cricket Cup Final took take place in Mumbai between Sri Lanka and India. This event was billed as the world's third largest only the FIFA World Cup and the Summer Olympics.

The only special thing about the event was the legendary cricket player Sachin Tendulkar was expected to hit his 0th international cricket century- whipping out his killer straight drive and unstoppable cover drive to deal with the enemy's vicious outswingers or off breaks.

How was Cricket then and How is it Now?
When I was growing up in India, cricket was popular but players did not get much. They had to work regular jobs even after winning world championships. Some star players were hired by banks and railways to greet people and promote their business.

By the mid '80s, cricket was getting very popular and also sports was getting rich with the advent of TV. We had a batsman who started breaking all record. I attended his matches and people thought there would not be another guy like him. He broke records of every player in every country around the world .

Then came Sachin Tendulkar
I was in the US and did not follow him closely and then the news of his records started flashing in all international media. What struck me was a book of his autobiography was coming out in London priced at 800 British Pounds copy. What was unique in it was the forward was printed in ink mixed with Sachin's blood. The first release was sold out with pre-orders. Sachin had started in on his high school cricket team and someone noticed his amazing record runs in those matches at just .

So I started reading more about him and the stories, adoration, idolizing, people worshiping were unlike I had never seen anywhere else.

Compliments
Here are some comments by other famous cricket celebrities from around the world:

1. In India, Sachin ceased being a person a long time ago.
2. I have seen God, he bats at no. 4 for India – Matthew Hayden.
3. Sachin is a genius. I'm a mere mortal – Brian Lara.
4. When Sachin fails, his fans feel suicidal.
5. When he does well, his fans discover that life has meaning after all.
6. Where Tendulkar is concerned, it is not a case of whether he is great, but how great.
7. Tendulkar's injured body parts have been discussed more ardently than Cleopatra's nose.
8. He is worshipped beyond boundaries as much for what he brings to the game as a batsman as for his demeanor as a person.

A Story According to According Peter Roebuck
The renowned cricketer Peter Roebuck wrote this:

"On a train from Shimla to Delhi, there was a halt in one of the stations. The train stopped by for few minutes as usual. Sachin was nearing century, batting on 98. The passengers, railway officials, everyone on the train waited for Sachin to complete the century. This Genius can stop time in India!!"

Latest on him
I read last week that Sachin expressed in a private party only if he could get his first car he owned 30 years ago. The news spread like wild fire, fan groups were formed across the country and the car was traced and brought to him for free.