New Delhi:

The world cricket fraternity lavished praise on India`s batting icon Sachin Tendulkar for becoming the first player in the game`s history to cross the 17,000-run mark.

Sunil Gavaskar: `One of Sachin`s top efforts. Chasing 350 and had to try and get past 17000. One could feel the pressure, everyone was tense. The moment he got past it was when we saw the Tendulkar of old. He was free of the shackles he had imposed on himself. It was a serious privilege to watch from such close proximity. He has a childish enthusiasm for the game. He keeps raising the bar for himself, that`s what keeps him going. The moment his whole hearted involvement in the game drops, he will decide to get out of game.`

Sourav Ganguly: `It`s really a remarkable achievement. He is one of the best cricketers of the world cricket. I have had some good memories with him, having partnering him for years in one-day cricket. I wish he scores another 2000 runs by 2011 World Cup. Sachin knows best how to accumulate runs. Once he gets going he becomes unstoppable.`

M S Dhoni: `Three or four of our top batsmen did not score but still we came close to the target. Sachin Tendulkar played very well and he was one man who brought us close to a win. But even after he left we did not lose hopes till the end. It was a pleasure to see him batting so well. All his centuries have been special and this too. But I am still a big fan of his desert storm (innings).`

Ricky Ponting: `When you get 175 in a one-day game, it`s not very often you don`t win. He`s played a lot of good innings against Australia over the years, but you don`t see something like this every day. It was a terrific innings, especially when he lost a few wickets around him early. He hit almost every ball in the middle of the bat. His team needed him to play that way and he was outstanding, it was one of the great one-day innings that I`ve seen.`

Herchelle Gibbs: `Sachin has played for 20 odd years and I think, it`s wonderful task by a man who has achieved so much. I congratulate him.`

Javed Miandad: `I think the way Tendulkar has handled his career and lasted for so long, keeping his passion for runs alive, is a lesson for budding young cricketers in Pakistan and India. Youngsters should adopt Tendulkar as their role model if they want to progress in the sport. He made his Test debut against us in 1989 and even today one can see the same hunger and spark to score runs. More importantly, he has been a great ambassador for the sport with the way he has conducted himself.`

Wasim Jaffer: `He has achieved several records. I hope that he reached 20,000-run mark. Whatever he has achieved, it is nearly impossible to achieve for anyone else. I just wish that he keeps on going and gets more and more runs for India.`

Rohit Sharma: `It`s a great achievement. Anyone playing for 21 years is not an easy job, we are proud of him.`