In what may have been his last-ever innings for India, the record-breaking cricketer was caught in the slips on the second morning of play at Mumbai's Wankhede stadium, television footage showed.
He took to the crease to resume against the West Indies to a deafening roar from the crowd and with Indians across the country praying that he could end his glittering career on a high.
The 40-year-old, the world's leading scorer in both Test and one-day cricket and the only batsman to score 100 international centuries, is bowing out after a 24-year career.
Friday morning's innings would be his last if the Indian team do not bat a second time in the match in his hometown of Mumbai, where thousands of fans have gathered to cheer on his emotional farewell.
The end of his innings was met with a stunned silence from the crowd, which turned into a standing ovation as he left the pitch, raising his bat in acknowledgement of the overwhelming support.
Lengthy queues of fans, with painted faces and Indian flags, had snaked down south Mumbai's famed Marine Drive boulevard on Friday morning in hope of catching their idol's final moments of glory.
Within 45 minutes of play he had notched up more than a half century from his overnight score of 38, with each run greeted with frenzied applause, Indian television broadcasts showed.
With many offices and schools closed for the Muslim festival Muharram on Friday, fans across the country gathered around television sets to watch a national hero acclaimed for his off-pitch humility and sporting skills.
"On 38, with a billion prayers," a Hindustan Times headline read ahead of the second day's play. "India waits for the big one," said the Asian Age.
Tendulkar has now gone 40 innings without a Test ton, with the last of his 51 Test centuries nearly two years ago in January 2011 against South Africa.
Since then he has had eight 50-plus scores, including 91 against England at the Oval in August 2011 and 94 versus the West Indies in Mumbai three months later.
His waning powers in recent years had led some to suggest he should have retired earlier, but his god-like popularity in cricket-mad India has remained constant.
Tendulkar had walked in to bat late on Thursday to an ecstatic welcome from the stands, entering through a guard of honour created by his West Indian opponents, television pictures showed.
The batsman's wheelchair-bound mother, Rajni, watched her son bat for the first time after a special ramp was built for her at the stadium. She had previously worried her presence may bring her son bad luck.
Along with Indian politicians, businessmen and Bollywood stars, cricketing greats Brian Lara and Shane Warne flew in for the game at Wankhede, where a huge security force has been deployed.
Due to an ongoing dispute between media groups and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), Agence France-Presse is unable to provide coverage of the match.
COMMENTS (25)
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@Feroz
It seems the message was lost in translation :-) Anyways I am with you.
@rawalpindiexpress same express was derailed by Tendulkar at centurian in 2003 WC.
@just_someone: That's what i am trying to say ,one simply can't play for 24 years .you need to fit and in form as well for this long duration .Consistency makes him legend . Yes, Dravid was also deserving one and for that we still love him . It's upto BCCI to provide such farewells so we had nothing which we could to .But Dravid has special place in our hearts.
@Fauzi:
You missed one great statistics. Most batsmen would be considered very good, if only they scored as many hundreds as the number of times Sachin got out in 90s - total 27 times.
We should focus on Hockey which is our national game. That is more fun game. Hockey is the toughest sports among all the sports
Muhammad Sachin Bin Tendulkar is the greatest religious batsman ever played the game. God bless him.
kohli will break his record
JEEVAY JEEVAY SHOAIB JEEVAY. WILL NEVER FORGET WHEN HE CLEAN BOWLED DRAVID THEN CLEAN BOWLED TENDULKAR FIRST BALL. hahahaha
For those ,who are questioning Sachin @Salman,@Saeed, @genesis Most Matches in Odi :463 Most Matches in Test :198 Most runs in Test :15837 runs Most runs in ODI :18426 runs Most Fours in odi :2016 fours Most Fours in test :2044 Fours Most 150+ scores in odi :5 Most 150+ scores in test :20 Most hundreds by a batsman in Test:51 hundreds Most Hundreds by a batsman in ODI :49 hundreds Most Ninties in Odi :18 Most Ninties in Test :10 Most fifties by a batsman in Test :67 Most fifties by a batsman in ODI :96 Most Man of Match in odi :62 Most Man of series in odi :15 Most Balls Faced in odi :21367 Most ODI runs in a calendar year :1,894 ODI runs in 1998. Most centuries in a calendar year :9 ODI centuries in 1998. Most runs scored by a batsman in ODI tournament finals: Tendulkar 1851, Most centuries hit by a batsman in ODI tournament Finals: Tendulkar (6 ton) Most Runs in world cup :2278 Most Runs in single world cup :673 Runs in 2003 world cup Most Hundreds in world cup :6 Most fifties in world cup :15 Most successful batsman in wins :(11157 runs in 234 matches) Most successful batsman in chases :(5490 runs in 127 matches)
Let me clarify something to most Indians here: Us Pakistanis dont hate Tendulkar, we just dont think hes that good. For example, I personally think Dravid was the best Indian batsman in his generation and he was not given the respect he deserved by Indians. Tendulkar has the padded stats because hes played such a long time. People were not even born when he started and not they have kids! Any decent batsman, who plays on Indian pitches, and plays this long can amass a crazy amount of runs. Dravid was a class batsman and his name should be mentioned above Tendulkar and Gavaskar IMO. But none is in the class of, say Bradman. Just try and keep it real my indian friends, thats all Pakistanis ask of you!
Please spare us now.
So his mother never saw him bat live, coz she feared bad luck? Now this is an extreme superstition and Indians are full of it. I know as I work with them.
His real greatness is remaining most humble despite holding several world records and also being the richest cricketer.
I just don't see anybody breaking his records in cricket. One would have to play for at least 24 years and perform exceptionally well. I guess never say never, but in this case, it is safe to say that the odds are stacked up against anyone.
Ali Khan
So what if he's on the Indian side? He's the finest batsman that modern cricket has ever seen. He ranks right up at the top seconding only Bradman because of his average. He's a legend in the cricketing world and outside it yet he's humble and free from any stroke of arrogance. As a strong supporter of the Pakistan team, I respect Sachin Tendulkar's class more than any other living batsman today. His presence will be missed on the cricket ground in the years to come.
@Lalit and @GrimmJow,
Totally agreed with you. I'm a Pakistani and I feel that people from Pakistan hate him just because he is from India. In my point of view, he is the best batsman of the modern era.
Love you Sachin Tendulkar!!!
Sachin, thanks for thrilling your fans on the cricket field, you will be remembered forever. Our sincere gratitude for the way you conducted yourself as a sporting icon and role model to aspiring cricketers worldover. You proved that there is nothing that cannot be achieved with focus, discipline and dedication. Ever grateful for giving your all for 24 years to the game of Cricket.
@salman: Agreed
Just Imagine, for arguments sake that Tendulkar was a Pakistani batsmen? They would have come out on roads to celebrate this. But alas, he is Indian, hence Pakistanis have to try & ignore him or hate him or whatever!
@salman save that title for Lala Afridi...even collective strength of whole pakistani batting lineup doesnt equal 10% of this legend's might.
Sachin Tendulkar has played the best innings of his career, no matter if he was not able to make 100 runs in the last match.
I am glad to learn that Tendulkar was given a standing ovation by his fans. Players like Tendulkar are born seldom.
What ever! World's most overrated batsman.
So what..???