The man who has held the cricketing world in thrall for over two decades seems to have arrived at the most fruitful phase of his career. Having demolished records through the years at will, Sachin Tendulkar leaves other batsmen little chance when it comes to surpassing the standards he himself sets. No wonder then that the cricketing fraternity has expressed their delight at Tendulkar’s 50th ton at the Centurion in the most glowing terms. There seem to be as many words of praise as there have been runs off his bat. Here’s a sample of what the world of cricket feels on this momentous occasion.

Former Indian skipper Sunil Manohar Gavaskar "Well, it's such a record that you can only compare it with Bob Beamon's long-jump world record set in the 1968 Olympics in Mexico. At that time it seemed that it would never be broken. Tendulkar's 50 Test centuries is one such record which doesn't look like being surpassed."

ICC President Sharad Pawar "Every Indian was playing under tremendous pressure and in that situation Sachin's century is not just a century. He has shown to the global community, and all young cricketers all over the world, how to play in such difficult times."

Former Indian captain Sourav Ganguly ''Sachin, for me, is the greatest. There's no debate''

Former South African captain Kepler Wessels ''Certainly in the modern era, he's the best batsman of our time. He doesn't have an equal.''

Australian cricket great and former India coach Greg Chappell ''[It’s a] wonderful achievement and proof that if you keep your mind fresh, you can play well into your 30s''.

Australian pacer Stuart Clark ''When you're bowling to him, it feels like his bat is a foot wide … He is the hardest batsman to dismiss I've come up against. He has incredible timing and control and [he] dictates the game to you''.

Indian captain M S Dhoni "As far as Sachin is concerned, he is a legend. Getting his 50th hundred is a milestone, but the passion he has got for cricket after 21 years of cricket is the same …Twenty years down the line, I think most of the cricketers who have played with him feel that he has got the passion to continue and keep going. That's what is great about Sachin Tendulkar."

South African skipper Graeme Smith "The guy has scored 50 Test hundreds so it's a bit hard to rate this one. He's scored a few hundreds before I can even remember. Under pressure, being able to score runs is a feather in his cap.”

Sachin’s first cricket coach, Ramakant Achrekar "I am very happy for Sachin. He has not only made me proud but the entire nation is celebrating his feat. I don't think that anybody can ever come near his record … Sachin has almost all the batting records under his belt now. His dream is to win ODI World Cup and I want him to achieve that. I am sure we will win the trophy next year. I was very sure that if he could continue his hunger for runs and passion for the game, he would become the best batsman in the world and it happened.”

India's South African coach Gary Kirsten "He treats every cricketing day with humility and respect and works as hard as he can on his game … The key to his success is his approach to the game, his humility to learn and try to do better all the time. For him, a Test match begins two days earlier, preparing for it. He wants to face the maximum number of balls at the nets. You will not see him play a loose shot at the nets … I think he is playing better than ever."

Former Pakistani captain Rashid Latif “Tendulkar can now rightly lay claim to the title of being the greatest batsman in cricketing history. And if some people argue about his greatness then there are certainly no arguments about his being the most prolific - he is a complete run machine and his 50th Test hundred is a testimony of his endurance and passion for the sport.”

Former Pakistan captain Javed Miandad “It was clear to us even when he walked out to bat in that Test as a teenager that he had talent. The fact that he has been around for 21 years and done justice to that god-gifted talent in both forms of the game is an achievement any cricketer would be proud of … It would be very difficult for anyone [else] to reach this pinnacle of Test cricket.”

Legendary Pakistani batsman Hanif Muhammad “I try to watch the matches in which he is playing because I have not seen anyone gifted with such natural technical batting excellence, which he has combined with his hard work and commitment. He is indeed a phenomena and a role model for every young batsman.”

Former Pakistani wicketkeeper and captain Moin Khan “He was always competitive but also polite on the field and I think he is the role model for young cricketers. He also highlights the fact that as long as a player has passion for cricket and confidence in his skills and is fit, age is never a barrier in international cricket."

Former Pakistan batsman and selector Shoaib Muhammad “I have watched him play all these years closely and his batting is still so pure based on perfect balance and little movement and precision in strokes. I think there is a lesson in this new world record for every batsman about how important it is to maintain consistency in your game even after so many years in international cricket.”

Former Pakistani Test pacer Jalaluddin “I think every country wants to have a batsman like Tendulkar. But such a player comes only once in decades. His greatness is [in that] he has realised the responsibility [that rests] on him [which leads him] to keep on scoring runs for India and to break record after record.”

Former Test batsman Basit Ali “It is true that players now get more matches to play in their career but it takes a lot of hard work to keep going for 21 years and keep on scoring runs in tons which he has done.”

Indian Tennis ace Leander Paes “It was a phenomenal achievement by him. He is really god-gifted. I really respect the longevity of his performance."

Former Indian batsman Sanjay Manjrekar "He has got it finally! And judging from his reaction ... [it] meant a lot to him ... the 50th test ton ... this is one record that is here to stay."

Commentator Harsha Bhogle "All great players redefine their profession. 50 Test hundreds was considered unthinkable. Sachin has done it."

Indian all-rounder Yuvraj Singh "Greatest achievement by a batsman ever! His name is Sachinnnnnnn Tendulkarrrrrrrrrr!! Wooohooooooooo."

Iain O'Brien "Congrats you little massive legend!"

Former Pakistani captain and all-rounder Wasim Akram "His career over the last 21 years and his 50th Test hundred only confirm the volume of talent Sachin has and his dedication and commitment to Indian cricket. "