'I've seen God and he bats at No 4 for India in Tests'

As Sachin Tendulkar turns 50, here are memorable words spoken about the batting legend by teammates, ex-cricketers, commentators and opposition.

"Tendulkar is to cricket what Michael Jordan is to basketball and Muhammad Ali is to boxing." - Brian Lara

"Now I never saw myself play, but I feel that this player is playing much the same as I used to play, and she looked at him on Television and said yes, there is a similarity between the two... his compactness, technique, stroke production... it all seemed to gel." - Sir Donald Bradman

“I don’t think anyone, apart from Don Bradman, is in the same class as Sachin Tendulkar.” —Shane Warne

"If I have a son and he decides to play cricket, I will want him to bat like Sachin Tendulkar."  Brian Lara

"There is no better sight on the cricket field than watching Tendulkar bat." Harsha Bhogle 

"People compare me with the person because of whom I started playing crickrt. No one can match his skill, he is the most complete batsman ever. It's not fair to compare him with us... at least the players of this generation." -Virat Kohli.

“If I've to bowl to Sachin, I'll bowl with my helmet on. He hits the ball so hard.” - Dennis Lillee.

“I have delayed my shoots many times to watch Sachin bat." -  Amitabh Bachchan

“I would like to thank you from the bottom of my heart for allowing us to breathe the same air as you do.” - Shah Rukh Khan

“Beneath the helmet, under that unruly curly hair, inside the cranium, there is something we don't know, something beyond scientific measure. Something that allows him to soar, to roam a territory of sport that, forget us, even those who are gifted enough to play alongside him cannot even fathom. When he goes out to bat, people switch on their television sets and switch off their lives." - BBC Sports

“Commit all your crimes when Sachin is batting. They will go unnoticed because even the Lord is watching.” - A placard at the Sydney Cricket Ground

“We have had champions, we have had legends, but we have never had another Sachin Tendulkar and we never will.” - TIME magazine

“I never get tired of umpiring whenever Sachin is at the crease.” - Rudy Koertzen

“Technically, you can’t fault Sachin. Seam or spin, fast or slow nothing is a problem.” – Geoffrey Boycott

"Sachin Tendulkar had the magnificent/best technique, the number of meetings I had as an England captain trying to get Sachin out was an absolute nightmare". - Nasser Hussain.

"We did not lose to a team called India. We lost to a man called Sachin." - Mark Taylor

"I have seen God. He bats at No 4 for India in Tests." - Matthew Hayden

"He is someone sent from up there to play cricket and go back" - Ravi Shastri

“The archives recall not one single incriminating incident, not one drunken escapade, not one reported affair, not one spat with a team-mate or reporter… is he human?” – Michael Atherton

"Growing up, I used to watch him play and always thought I wanted to play like him but couldn't. Inside in my heart I always wanted to play like him, he was a cricketing idol growing up." -  Mahendra Singh Dhoni.

“Through his entire career, he has created ripples with every step, on every pitch, in every cricketing country, in every bowler’s nightmare, in our hearts, in every cricket field across the world, and in the heart of every cricket fan across the world.” - Aamir Khan.