'Sachin is a legend; what else can you say about him'

Two days ahead of Sachin Tendulkar's 40th birthday, the legendary Adam Gilchrist recalled the veteran Indian's match-winning innings that knocked the stuffing out of the Australian bowlers way back in 1998 at Sharjah.

Chasing a stiff target, Tendulkar single-handedly took India to the title triumph, slamming a century on April 24, his birthday.

"I remember Sharjah 1998 when he belted us all over the park and won the game and cost us the title. Sachin, that was a good one, mate!" Gilchrist said, after his side Kings XI Punjab's win over Pune Warriors in the IPL on Sunday.

"Sachin is a legend and what else can you say about him. Do wish him many happy returns."

When told that Tendulkar will be turning 40, Gilchrist said, "40th is it? Yeah, okay. Doesn't get any easy after 40, mate."

As the scribes present in the post-match conference posed the question on Tendulkar's birthday, Gilchrist had initially joked, "You are going to ask this question every year about his birthday."

Pune's Aaron Finch said cricket lovers admire Tendulkar immensely.

"The sheer amount of runs that he has been able to score over his career is phenomenal. Anyone who hasn't been to India probably can't understand the pressure every single time he comes out to bat and that's a phenomenal achievement what he has done for the game.

"I think especially in India and around the world he has singlehandedly carried forward the country's expectations on his shoulders for such a long time," Finch said about Tendulkar.