Cricketers salute Tendulkar ahead of his 40th birthday

Approaching his 40th birthday, Sachin Tendulkar's "insatiable hunger and incredible talent" has fetched him glowing tributes from fellow cricketers who say the batting great's longevity and passion for the game can never be surpassed.
Tendulkar, regarded as one of the greatest batsmen in modern-day cricket, will turn 40 on April 24 and some of his contemporary cricketers doffed their hats for his unprecedented achievements on the cricket field.
While former India skipper Sourav Ganguly rated Tendulkar as the greatest player he had ever seen, Australia captain Michael Clarke said his passion for the game is unprecedented.
"Suffice to say, he is the greatest cricketer I have ever seen. I haven't seen Bradman, but he is as close to perfection as you can get. His insatiable hunger, combined with incredible talent, makes him a real genius. When people criticise him, all I point to them is the 100 international hundreds," Ganguly said in an article published in 'Outlook' magazine, which has brought out a special edition on the legendary batsman to commemorate his birthday.

The special edition carries brief articles on Tendulkar from several former and current players, administrators and celebrities like Amitabh Bachchan and Lata Mangeshkar who have known the batting maestro for long.
"The difference between Sachin and a really good player is the latter, if he scores a hundred in the first innings and has once again scored a fifty in the second, will, in all likelihood, play one loose shot thereafter. It happens to us all. Sachin, however, will leave nothing to chance and will get the second innings hundreds as well," Ganguly wrote.
"That's why I always say that (Brian) Lara was a great and Ponting too was a brilliant, but Sachin, without any hesitation, is the greatest. He is the best I have ever seen and will perhaps ever see. No batsman in the next 50 years can score 100 international hundreds," added the former skipper.