Hyderabad/Mumbai: From taking lessons at Shivaji Park at Dadar in central Mumbai to winning the coveted ICC ODI World Cup in 2011 at his home ground - the Wankhede Stadium, the journey of Master Blaster is indeed inspirational.
Sachin Tendulkar, who has numerous records to his name and often referred as the God of Cricket, turned 51 today. Several times, he has publicly acknowledged that it was the 1983 World Cup win by the Kapil Dev led Indian team that inspired him to take up the sport.
And then started the arduous journey of learning lessons from his Guru Ramakant Achrekar after commuting initially from Sahitya Sahawas in suburban and then deciding to relocate at the his uncle's house in Dadar and securing admission in Shardashram school.
After making his Test debut in Pakistan in 1989 as a 16-year-old, Tendulkar never looked back. One of the most iconic moment of his over 20-year-career came at Sharjah when he single handed led India to a win the tri series titled Coca Cola Cup.
That moment is still etched in the minds of cricket buffs with legendary Tony Greig on air and Tendulkar disdainfully hammering late Australian leg-spinner Shane Warne.
In the 1990s, cricket in India was synonymous to Sachin Tendulkar, where the entire country pinned hopes on the elegant right handed batter, who is the leading run scorer in ODIs and the best batter of his era.
Such was the dedication of this Mumbaikar that after the demise of his father Ramesh Tendulkar during the 1999 ODI World Cup in England, Sachin returned to the national team and slammed a century on his return, which he dedicated it to his beloved 'Baba'.
In the 2003 World Cup, Tendulkar, named after popular musician Sachin Dev Burman, was adjudged as the Player of the Series but the team failed to win the title after losing to Australia in the summit clash at The Wanderers in Johannesburg in South Africa.
But the 1996 World Cup and the 2003 World Cup is remembered for the performance by Sachin Tendulkar, popularly known as SRT. His heroics against a star studded Pakistan attack in the 2003 World Cup game, especially the square cut six off Shoiab Akhtar is etched into memory.
Another turning point in Tendulkar's career was the 2004 Sydney Test when he silenced his critics by slamming a memorable double hundred.
Cut to 2013, Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, when Tendulkar was playing his last and 200th Test against West Indies and the entire Stadium has come to watch only and only him. It was the first instance when Sadhin Tendulkar's mother Rajani has come to a Stadium to watch his son.
It was truly an emotional moment for Sachin Tendulkar, his wife Anjali, his daughter Sara and son Arjun, as the Master Blaster bid adieu to the game after serving it for over two decades and captaining the side.
There was only once when Tendulkar intentionally lost a game and the Master himself has narrated the story at MIG Club in suburban Bandra where he revealed the game was against his brother and he wanted to lose it.
For years to come, Tendulkar will keep inspiring players and budding cricketers.
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