Sachin Tendulkar cuts the cake while celebrating his 35th birthday in Chennai on Thursday. (PTI)

Chennai: A quiet but warm celebration marked Sachin Tendulkar’s 35th birthday as the master batsman cut the cake surrounded by cheerful Mumbai Indians teammates at a hotel here on Thursday.

As Sachin cut the rectangular-shaped cake which had the logo of Mumbai Indians, he was joined by two other teammates, Luke Ronchi and Vikrant Yeligati, who had a delayed celebration after their birthday clashed with the team’s match against Chennai Super Kings on Wednesday.

New Zealander Ronchi turned 27, while Yeligati celebrated his 23rd birthday.

Tendulkar admitted missing his family on the occasion and said, “I wish I could celebrate my birthday with wife and children, but that is not so. They are joining me at Mohali on Friday.”

Meanwhile, Kings XI Punjab players team greeted Sachin on his 35th birthday, adds another report from Chandigarh.

“Happy birthday Sachin. It’s always been great to play with you and you have always been there to help us,” said right-arm pacer Sreesanth, who looked enthusiastic and also wished the master batsman “best of luck”.

Australian speedster Brett Lee said: “we wish you well”.

Sri Lanka’s prolific batsman Kumar Sangakkara said: “Sachin is one of the great batsman that the world has known”.

Left-arm pacer Irfan Pathan said it was a great honour to play alongside Sachin.

The difference between Sachin’s 34th birthday and his 35th could not be starker.

One year ago the master batsman, considered to be among the all-time greats, was distraught following India’s early exit from the World Cup and celebrated his birthday quietly at home.

Tendulkar, true to his fashion, lifted himself as well as the country’s cricket from that low by making his bat talk in England and Australia to play a leading role in the campaigns in both countries.

The stalwart contributed mightily to the team’s Test and ODI victory as well as a first-ever triumph in the tri-series Down Under after helping India match the world champions step for step in the acrimonious Test series that they lost narrowly to the hosts.

The ace batsman, who in the process also increased his century count to 39 in Tests and 42 in ODIs, besides overtaking Sri Lanka ace Sanath Jayasuriya as the leading run-getter in the 50-over game, has truly bounced back in style after some critics wrote his epitaph in the aftermath of India’s dismal display in the World Cup in the Caribbean. (PTI)