3 min readMar 18, 2026 07:29 PM IST It’s fitting in a way that Sachin Tendulkar’s last ODI appearance, on this day 14 years ago, coincided with his heir apparent firmly taking on the mantle of India’s batting talisman. Virat Kohli already had Hobart – the unbeaten 133 off 86 balls against Sri Lanka helping India chase down 320 well inside 40 overs, keeping alive their hopes of making the tri-series final. The way the youngster dealt with the menace of Lasith Malinga – still a formidable force with his speed, yorkers, deception and change of pace – was a sight to behold. The Slinger went for 96 runs in just 7.4 overs that day. But the knock against Pakistan 18 days later in Dhaka, where the Delhi boy’s mammoth 183 off 148 balls helped the team chase down 329 with more than two overs to spare, firmly gave him the moniker ‘chase master’. It wasn’t known then but Tendulkar’s innings of 52 off 48 balls turned out to be his last in ODI cricket, …