Indian cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar said on Friday he was in hospital after contracting COVID-19.

He originally tested positive for the coronavirus on March 27 and said the hospitalization was taken as a precautionary measure.

Tendulkar, who will turn 48 later this month, was previously quarantining at home, suffering mild symptoms.

"As a matter of abundant precaution under medical advice, I have been hospitalized," the batting great tweeted. "I hope to be back home in a few days. Take care and stay safe everyone."

Batting his way to history

Former India captain Tendulkar retired from professional cricket in 2013 after a prolific career spanning almost a quarter of a century.

The highest run scorer of all time in international cricket, Tendulkar made a habit of tearing up the record books.

He notched up 100 centuries for India, a feat unsurpassed by any player, of any nation, on his way to becoming the only player to complete more than 30,000 runs in international cricket.

Tendulkar is also the first batsman to score a double century in the one day version of the sport.

India's COVID situation worsens

He lives in Mumbai, the capital of the western Indian state of Maharashtra, which has been the hardest hit by a resurgence in coronavirus infections.

On Friday, India registered 81,466 new cases of the coronavirus, the highest daily increase in six months.

India is the third-hardest hit country in the world, in terms of cases, with more than 12.3 million recorded infections.