As someone who redefined the art of batting in ODIs, it was only apt that he would go on to break the 200-run barrier.
Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar redefined the art of batting in the one-day international (ODI) format. As probably the greatest ever ODI batsman of all time, it was only fitting that on February 24, 2010, the Master Blaster became the first player to break the 200 run-barrier in a single inning. Every Indian cricket fan remembers the moment at the Captain Roop Singh Stadium in Gwalior when Sachin played a Charles Langeveldt delivery to point to reach 200, and the entire crowd roared in applause.
With that innings against South Africa, the Master Blaster at age 36 once again redefined the art of ODI batting. Yes, double centuries in ODIs are not common, but it is no longer considered such an eye-popping achievement. Rohit Sharma has gone onto break the 200-barrier three times, but it’s imperative to understand what a phenomenal achievement Sachin’s innings was for its time. For 12 years, the highest ever ODI score by an individual batsman was 194, held by both Pakistan’s Saeed Anwar and Zimbabwe’s Charles Coventry.
In an analysis by Scroll.in, it was noted: “Where a 150 was scored once in every 51.8 matches before Gwalior, it’s since jumped to a remarkable one in every 18.8 ODIs”. As the first player to break the 200-run barrier in a single inning, Sachin showed the cricketing world that it was possible. Since then, you’ve had the likes of Chris Gayle and Virender Sehwag who have gone onto reach that milestone at a faster pelt, but Tendulkar remains the original path-breaker.
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You can watch the highlights of that memorable knock here. (Courtesy: BCCI)
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