Top-5 fastest double centuries in ODIs

#3 Sachin Tendulkar (147 balls, final score - 200* off 147)

It all started with a steered late cut off Charl Langeveldt. Sachin Tendulkar entered the record books and opened the account for men's cricket in the world of 200. Others followed, but Sachin's feat will be remembered forever, considering that he was able to manage what others couldn't till then, that too at the age of 37, against a potent South African attack.

Tendulkar, having unearthed a golden run of form post from early 2008 in the lead up to the 2011 World Cup, was being preserved ahead of the big tournament. He played only a couple of ODIs in 2010, one of them being the historic one at Gwalior.

He was in his zone from the start, pacing his innings brilliantly, against the combined power of Dale Steyn, Wayne Parnell and Jacques Kallis.

Complemented perfectly by Dinesh Karthik, (briefly Yusuf Pathan and eventually by captain MS Dhoni), Tendulkar, in the third ball of the 50th over, reached the historic feat, studded with 25 fours and 3 sixes.