Sachin Tendulkar is recognised as the Godfather of Cricket in the world. The Little Master has left behind an insane legacy that is hard to match by any of the future generation players. Tendulkar was the cricketer who popularised cricket in India and the other parts of the world. His success in cricket ultimately made Asia the hotspot of the game. In the modern times, BCCI is the richest and most influential cricketing body in the world and a lot of the credit for that goes to the legendary Godfather of Cricket- Sachin Tendulkar. This article covers the reasons which prove that Sachin Tendulkar is the Godfather of Cricket in India and around the world.
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Why Sachin Tendulkar is the Godfather of Cricket?
Sachin Tendulkar is widely hailed as one of cricket’s godfather and most influential figures, earning a global fanbase for his remarkable consistency on the field, including memorable performances in Australia where he frequently scored centuries. Fans often express their adoration with the phrase “Cricket is my religion and Sachin is my God.” ESPNcricinfo describes him as “the most worshipped cricketer in the world.”
During the 1998 Australian tour of India, Matthew Hayden famously remarked, “I have seen God. He bats at no. 4 in India in Tests.” However, Tendulkar himself has humbly rejected the notion of being cricket’s deity, stating, “I am not God of cricket. I make mistakes, God doesn’t.” In fact, Sachin Tendulkar was right he is not the God but the Godfather of Cricket.
Tendulkar’s feats sometimes overwhelmed even online platforms. On February 24, 2010, ESPNcricinfo’s website struggled to handle the traffic surge after Tendulkar set a new record for the highest individual male score in a One Day International, becoming the first to score 200* in ODIs, with over 5 million fans visiting the site simultaneously.
The intense devotion of Tendulkar’s fans has occasionally led to extreme reactions, such as reported cases of distress and even self-harm over his on-field performances.
In his hometown of Mumbai, Tendulkar’s celebrity status has led to a unique lifestyle, with Ian Chappell noting that he would find it challenging to cope with the constant attention Tendulkar receives, including the need to disguise himself to enjoy simple activities like going to the movies. Tendulkar himself has mentioned finding solace in quiet drives through Mumbai’s streets late at night.
Records & Achievements of Sachin Tendulkar, the Godfather of Cricket
Sachin Tendulkar’s cricketing achievements are legendary. He holds the record for the most runs in both Test matches, with 15,921 runs, and One Day Internationals (ODIs), with 18,426 runs. Tendulkar is also the sole player to surpass 30,000 runs across all international cricket formats. He became the 16th player and the first Indian to reach 50,000 runs in domestic and international recognized cricket, achieved during a Champions League Twenty20 match in 2013.
In ODIs, Tendulkar surpassed 1,000 runs in a calendar year seven times, with his 1998 tally of 1,894 runs standing as the record for the highest runs scored by a player in a single calendar year. He notably scored the first double-century in one-day cricket. His partnership with Rahul Dravid remains the most prolific in Test cricket, amassing 6,920 runs for India at an average of over fifty runs per partnership.
Tendulkar’s milestone achievements include being the first to score 12,000, 13,000, 14,000, and 15,000 runs in Test cricket, as well as the first to reach 10,000 runs in ODIs. He also became the first to score 15,000 runs in Test Cricket. Tendulkar excelled in Cricket World Cups, finishing as the highest run-scorer in the 1996 and 2003 tournaments.
His record of 51 Test centuries and 49 ODI centuries (second only to Virat Kohli) solidifies his status as one of the game’s greatest batsmen. Tendulkar holds the record for the most centuries in both Tests and ODIs combined, with 100 centuries overall. Additionally, he is the only player to achieve 50 centuries in Test cricket and was the first to reach 50 centuries across all international cricket formats.
Why MS Dhoni is Not the Godfather of Cricket?
MS Dhoni is a huge figure in the cricketing world. He is worshipped by a lot of fans in India. Dhoni is the most successful Indian captain ever in the international tournaments. He is also the most successful captain in the IPL. Not even Indians, even the foreign players who have played under his captaincy in the IPL call him the greatest cricketing brain ever to exist. He is a master who knows how to use everyone’s talents to achieve the best. However, MS Dhoni cannot be called the Godfather of Cricket because the game which he has mastered was brought into the popular culture by the legendary Sachin Tendulkar. Even Dhoni has said that Sachin Tendulkar was his inspiration for playing cricket. This proves that Sachin Tendulkar is the Godfather of Cricket.
Godfather of Cricket FAQs
1- Who is the Godfather of Cricket in the world?
Sachin Tendulkar is the Godfather of Cricket in the world.
2- Who is the Godfather of Cricket in India?
Sachin Tendulkar is the Godfather of Cricket in India.
3- Is MS Dhoni the Godfather of Cricket?
No, MS Dhoni is not the Godfather of Cricket.
4- Is Sir Don Bradman the Godfather of Cricket?
No, Sir Don Bradman is not the Godfather of Cricket.
5- Is Virat Kohli the Godfather of Cricket?
No, Virat Kohli is not the Godfather of Cricket.