Timely pat for Sachin

His achievements seem never-ending and so do the accolades. This time Sachin Tendulkar, who turns 29 tomorrow, has been picked by Time magazine for some special treatment 8211; featuring him on its cover and almost bordering on the poetic in listing his achievements. Though over the years, Tendulkar has improved a lot, both as a player and as a media performer, 8220;What has not changed is the impression he still gives of being a kid, a tough kid, hungry to learn and achieve,8221; says the magazine in a tribute to the Indian batting maestro.

In a country where cricket is more than a religion that cuts accross caste and class, 8220;Tendulkar is embedded at the centre of a vast and crazily complex circuit board of emotions and occupies the middle like no other cricketer before him.8221;

8220;And this has partly to do with the outrageous reservoir of talent he is blessed with, partly to do with his will and partly to do with the era during which he came into world cricket,8221; the magazine says.

The shy, young man of the early 90s is no more there and 8220;what is more fascinating8221;, writes the Time, 8220;is the sense Tendulkar exudes of constantly wanting to improve.8221;