Bhajji praises Tendulkar ahead of 20th anniversary in international cricket

Mumbai, Nov.14 (ANI): Off-spinner Harbhajan Singh on Friday congratulated batting maestro Sachin Tendulkar ahead of him completing two successful decades in international cricket.

The 36-year-old, Tendulkar will join a list of 15 players whose international careers have spanned more than 20 years when he plays in the first Test against Sri Lanka in Ahmedabad from November 16.

Addressing reporters here, Singh said he wished Tendulkar would continue to dominate world cricket.

"He (Sachin Tendulkar) is a great human being, a great player and I have been very lucky to have a friend like Sachin Tendulkar. I want to wish him all the luck. I want to congratulate him for finishing his 20 years in international cricket. He has dominated world cricket for 20 years and I hope that he will continue to dominate it," Singh said.

Tendulkar has been the face of Indian cricket since his test debut as a chubby, curly-haired 16-year-old against Pakistan in Karachi in November 1989.

He now holds the record for most Test runs (12,773), Test centuries (42), ODI runs (17,178) and ODI centuries (45).

The countdown to Tendulkar's latest landmark has been dominating airtime in cricket-crazy India with TV channels and newspapers running specials to commemorate his achievement. (ANI)