They say Mumbai cricket is built on khunnas: that stubborn grit to never settle. For nearly 13 years, the world thought 194 was the limit. Then, a man from the streets of our city decided the ceiling needed to go.

Saeed Anwar set the bar at 194 in 1997 against India, and for a decade, it felt like the gods of cricket had capped the limit there.

We observed legendary players approach the door only to be denied entry. Legends like Sir Viv Richards, Gary Kirsten, and Sanath Jayasuriya all faced close calls. In 2009, Zimbabwe's Charles Coventry reached the Floor 194 that Anwar did, but was unable to go beyond it. It started to seem like a glitch in the Matrix, perhaps a double century in 50 overs wasn’t meant for humans.

However, the day of salvation soon came: February 24, 2010.

Breaking the 'Bhoot'

At the Captain Roop Singh Stadium in Gwalior, against a South African attack led by a peak Dale Steyn, Sachin Tendulkar decided that "impossible" wasn't a word he’d heard of. At 36, an age where most players are perhaps planning their retirement speech, the Master Blaster was busy conducting an orchestra 😜.

The first 100 was "Classic Sachin": calculated, precise, 90 balls. But the second 100? That was something else. 57 balls of pure, unadulterated khunnas.

As Sachin approached the 190s, the entire Gwalior Stadium crowd was in a state of tension. The “Will he? Will he not?” concerns hung heavily in the air, and it felt like a boulder on his shoulders.

But, once Sachin tucked a yorker delivery from Charl Langeveldt to point to reach 200* off 147 balls, and Ravi Shastri on the telly commentary said: "First man on the planet to reach 200…” the world didn't just witness a record broken. They saw a mortal break a psychological curse and underline that the word “Impossible” is something only HE could choose to ignore or repurpose.

#OnThisDay in 2010, the legendary @sachin_rt became the first batsman to score a double hundred in the ODIs. 👌👏 #TeamIndia

To watch that special knock from the Master Blaster, click here 🎥 👉 https://t.co/DbYjKtJhi6 pic.twitter.com/5ie2RqDcI7

— BCCI (@BCCI) February 24, 2021

This moment STILL gives the goosebumps upon recall. Haina, Paltan?

That "Khadoos" DNA: From Sachin to the World

Sachin’s 200* was more of a declaration than a world record. It’s the same "Feb 24 Fire" that runs through the veins of every player who dons the Blue and Gold. Ask the Paltan about the MI Mentality, and they will opine on "the" stubbornness not just to win but to dominate, even under pressure.

We’ve seen it time and again: Rohit’s 109 at Eden Gardens in 2012 or SKY turning a match into a video game with that 103* against Gujarat. It’s not about strike rates, it’s about having that khunnas to take the game by the scruff of the neck.

While nine players ascended past Sachin’s 200-run barrier, it is by no fluke that ONE particular man took the Master Blaster’s blueprint and smashed it 3️⃣ times over. The baton didn’t just pass; it was snatched. Rohit took that No Limits mantra from one Mumbai legend and turned it into his personal playground.

Feb. 24 is the day "Impossible" was officially retired. It serves as a reminder that records are just speed breakers if your heart is set on the horizon. Bas, ek baar thaan liya toh kar diya. 😤