Sachin Sets The Bar

Wednesday's ODI between India and South Africa was special for many reasons. The cameo from Dhoni, the swashbuckling from Karthik or even the stunning century from AB de Villiers which, on any other day would have been a worthy talking point. India dismissed a strong South African side by posting a massive total and bowling them out, but in the years to come nobody will talk about the humbling result, they will say "I saw the Little Master make history".

Trying to say something new about Sachin Tendulkar is a thankless task. In India he can't even go out of his house without wearing a disguise for fear of being mobbed. He has been studied, almost down to atomic level as his fans and admirers seek new ways of describing a man whose achievements and conduct under extreme public pressure defy description. One almost wonders if he keeps trying to break new ground even after 20 years in the game, simply to give people something new to write about.

Wednesday's innings made him the first batsman to score a double century in limited overs internationals, and the quality of the innings from the off was such that as he reached his century that commentators immediately speculated that they might see him "double up". There are precious few batsmen in the world who could attract such speculation, but he not only attracts it, it lives up to it and thrives on it. His knock was a masterclass in precision, pacing an innings and executing every shot, either textbook or improvised. Put simply, you will not see a better innings, and there is no finer player or man in the cricket world who could reach this landmark.

On a personal note, this innings comes at a perfect time for me; a natural place to start a departure from England, both physically and in terms of cricket writing, as I fly out to Australia on Monday morning. I don't want to write on the progress of Strauss's team in the build up to the Ashes without seeing them play, so I am going to turn my attention to the Australian camp, providing up to date information on their build up as I travel around the country.