'Sachin has climbed the Mt Everest of the game'

President Pratibha Patil and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Wednesday congratulated Sachin Tendulkar for becoming the first cricketer to score a double ton in One-day internationals and said the “master batsman” has climbed the Mt Everest of the game.

“Sachin Tendulkar has yet again rewritten the record books of cricket, by climbing yet another Mt Everest of the game,” Patil said in a message.

She said in setting a new benchmark for the highest score by a batsman in One-day internationals as well as in notching up a double century, “the master batsman has set stiff targets” for future generation of cricketers to break.

Terming it a “magnificent achievement”, the Prime Minister said that Sachin has led by “example and that all Indians are proud of his achievement“.

Singh wished him many more glorious years in his cricketing career.

Tendulkar created history by becoming the first cricketer to score a double century in One-day internationals with a breath0taking unbeaten 200 to steer India to a massive 401 for three against South Africa in the second cricket ODI in Gwalior.