Celebrating Sachin's avalanche of milestones as he turns 50 on April 24

A 5-ft-5-inch colossus on the field and a phenomenon off it, Tendulkar will hit half-century on April 24

I watched Sachin Tendulkar make his Test debut on November 15, 1989 at Karachi against Pakistan. He was a gawky, curly-haired 16-year-old who spoke in squeaky monosyllables, taking refuge from the media glare by deflecting queries to Chandu Borde. The former India captain was manager on that tour, and his main task was to keep vigil on Tendulkar who had a tendency to sleepwalk!

Interest in Tendulkar was high. A world record partnership with Vinod Kambli in a Bombay schools cricket tournament in 1987-88, when he was not quite 15, had brought him instant global attention. Before he turned 16,