Congratulations to Sachin Tendulkar for scoring 50 centuries in Test Matches. With Ricky Ponting in danger of losing his place in the Australian team this record will not be broken in a hurry. Although India has a billion people our tragedy is that we have no one whose achievements make us proud. Sure we have plastic celebrities such as film stars, disposable ones such as politicians and photographic ones who have been dead for a long time. Thus the frothy Indian press has been effusive in its adjectives and certain that Sachin is greater than Bradman. Two great batsmen from different eras cannot be compared and while he has his centuries Bradman finished his career with an average of 99 which is unbreakable. While agreeing that Sachin is statistically the best Indian batsman ever another man, in my opinion, is greater if we consider his effect on Indian cricket and the way he changed our mindset for ever. That man is Sunil Gavaskar. He came into the Indian team when our players were overawed by foreigners, lacked confidence and regularly managed to turn winning positions into defeats. Indian batsmen were most vulnerable against fast bowlers and one famous opening bat used to shuffle slowly towards square leg leaving his stumps wide open when faced with a genuine quickie. In one Test Match in Calcutta against the West Indies led by Gary Sobers the Indian team went in with two wicket keepers, Engineer and Kunderan, because no one wanted to face Wes Hall. Gavaskar changed all that when on his first tour to the West Indies he smashed Holding, Roberts and co for an average of 150 without a helmet. That, in my book, is a true hero.