Sachin Tendulkar

Sachin Tendulkar has become the first cricketer ever to hit a double-hundred in a one-day international, 10 months after his 36th birthday and four years after being booed off his home ground for slow scoring, with his career apparently in terminal decline. Tendulkar toyed with South Africa's attack in the second one-day international under Gwalior's floodlights. He ended unbeaten on exactly 200 after 147 balls of beautiful destruction, relying on finesse as much as force. He hit only three sixes as India reached 401 for three in 50 overs. Tendulkar easily passed the previous record score in one-day internationals – 194 by Pakistan's Saeed Anwar against India in 1996-97, an innings matched in rather less demanding circumstances by Zimbabwe's Charles Coventry against Bangladesh earlier this year. However, in the 49th over Tendulkar seemed to have stalled on 199, and when MS Dhoni stole the strike and then hoisted the first ball of the last over for six it seemed he may end marooned short of 200. But with the crowd baying for their hero and self-preservation in mind, Dhoni, who had dealt almost exclusively in boundaries, wisely sauntered a single and next ball Tendulkar nurdled a run through gully to reach 200. Tendulkar began with boundaries on either side of the wicket off Wayne Parnell and then dazzled with an array of cuts, pulls and drives.