9 million thanks, Tendulkar tells Facebook fans

Undoubtedly one of the most widely followed Indian celebrities on Facebook, Sachin Tendulkar's fan following on the social networking site has crossed nine million and it's still counting.

"9 million thanks!!! Thankyou for making me feel so special," Tendulkar posted on his facebook account.

Tendulkar had joined Facebook last September and within hours, had a staggering four lakh likes to his name.

The cricketer started his Facebook innings with a video message welcoming everyone to his official page.

"I'll like to welcome you to my facebook family. As a child I always dreamt of playing cricket for India and I chased my dream of winning the World Cup for 22 years. It wouldn't have been possible without your support. I wanna take this opportunity to thank all of you for having prayed for me and wish well for me," he had posted the first time.

"I look forward to sharing my experience with you, join me on my facebook so that we both can share this experience and go through this journey together."

The page gives a time line of important events in the cricketer's life right from when he was born on April 24, 1973 to the World Cup win in 2011 to taking oath as a Rajya Sabha member.

The page is managed by Seven3Rockers.

Tendulkar, arguably the greatest batsman in contemporary cricket, recently retired from One-day Internationals, bringing the curtains down on a glorious career spanning 23 years during which he re-wrote record books with his phenomenal feats.