For more than two generations of Indians, and cricket fans from elsewhere, Sachin Tendulkar is a name that opened doors and hearts wherever you were on the planet. Even in the days before the social media revolution, Sachin was a truly global icon. It didn?t matter if you were in Sydney or South Africa, Kolkata or Kingston, Sachin?s name was a conversation starter. The teenage wonder who exploded into the global consciousness with his bloodied nose in Pakistan in 1989, before becoming the greatest batting sensation ever, transcended the boundaries of sport. As with Jesse Owens, Ali, Pele and Maradona, Sachin?s role in making Indian cricket a household phenomenon globally can never be underestimated. It was not just the runs he scored. It was the manner in which he scored them ? with matchless flair, scoring 100 international hundreds in the process.