Some sporting records appear written in stone, unlikely ever to be surpassed – Cal Ripken’s 2632 consecutive games in US Major League Baseball and St George’s 11 consecutive rugby league titles are an example.
In cricket, there has always been Don Bradman’s Test average of 99.94 and more recently Muttiah Muralitharan’s 800 Test wickets, both marks that seem unlikely to ever be touched.
In the near future we are going to see the curtain drawn on another sporting career and when the final bow is taken a set of numbers will be etched into the history books that almost certainly will remain unchallenged.
The career in question is that of Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar.
What Tendulkar will finally achieve by way of numbers will stand the test of time. As the years pass they will be looked upon with even greater awe.
But, like so many sporting records, the bare numbers do not do justice to the whole. In Tendulkar’s case that is surely the truth.
No other sportsperson has ever carried such personal pressure on a regular basis when they enter the fray.
In India, a land that largely worships the Hindu faith, a faith that encompasses some 300 million deities, Tendulkar is a living, breathing, walking god in the eyes of many of his countrymen.
A wag tweeted as much when Tendulkar reached his epic 100-international centuries milestone, saying “Could we please stop comparing God and Sachin. I mean he’s a great guy and really amazing and all, but he’s just not Sachin.”
One of the most spine-tingling sensations in sport is to be present at an Indian Test ground when the second wicket falls in the home side’s innings.
There is a deafening silence that falls over the ground shortly after the wicket falls and it remains so until the first glimpse of Tendulkar’s blue helmet makes its appearance down the race.
What follows is a cacophony of sound that escorts the ‘Little Master’ all the way to the middle.
Every shot is then met with applause, from relief at keeping out a good ball to sheer frenzy when he strikes a boundary.
And then, the moment – the dismissal.
From a scene of seemingly uncontrollable noise and chaos, the ground is suddenly enveloped by the most eerie silence as the crowd realizes HE has been dismissed.
For the first 20-odd paces of Tendulkar’s return to the pavilion there is barely a sound as those in the stadium come to terms with the demise of their idol.
And then, the roar starts again, and by the time he has reached the boundary’s edge the decibel level mirrors that which greeted him when he strode out.
On the field Tendulkar is as talkative as Harpo Marx, allowing his blade to be his voice and it is a voice that more often than not has a deep and resonant tenor to it.
To the naked eye when you watch him bat you always seem to have the feeling his blade is wider than everyone else’s.
It is only when they introduced super ‘slo-mo’ technology into the coverage of the sport that I realized why – unlike nearly every other batsman, Tendulkar’s bat never seems to twist in his hand at the point of contact.
It is as if his wrists are made of steel.
While the fans exalt his every success with vigour and unbridled adulation, the man himself is always understated.
The Tendulkar celebration lacks the frenzied and choreographed salutations that so often accompany the successes of the modern-day athlete.
But there is always the customary gaze to the heavens that has marked each of Tendulkar’s myriad milestones since the passing of his father some years ago.
To look at him whilst he is plying his craft is to gaze upon someone who appears to have been personally touched by divinity.
From his international debut at age 16, in a Test against Pakistan in Karachi, he has displayed the skills of a Medici court sculptor, seemingly incapable of playing an ugly shot.
From his early teens he made batting appear as natural as breathing.
It is hard to watch any lengthy innings by him without one’s eyebrows getting a stitch.
Whilst there is little doubt he possesses an inherent, God-given talent, he has also worked with monastic devotion over the years to continually hone his skills.
I will long remember an afternoon at the MA Chidambaram Stadium at Chennai in March 2001.
Jim Maxwell and myself were in the ABC commentary box awaiting the installation of our broadcast lines for the start of the Test the following day.
At the same time the Indian team was having a net session on the pitches near the boundary edge.
By his own high standards, Tendulkar’s output in the series to that point had been modest – 76 and 65 in Mumbai and 10 and 10 in the famous come from behind win at Kolkata.
With the series level at 1-all with one to play it was all on the line.
Slowly the Indian squad completed their training session and grabbed their bags and headed to the team bus – not Tendulkar.
It was if he felt he had to perform in the final Test, as much for himself as his team.
For more than 45 minutes after his last teammate departed he remained there honing his technique, facing an assortment of net bowlers and other ring-ins.
Finally, he had had enough – satisfied that his preparation was as it should be.
In that deciding Test he made 126 and his side won by two wickets to claim the series.
As the years mounted he reinvented himself at the crease but never did he lose the ability to produce the awe-inspiring shot that will live long in the memory.
At the crease, no matter the ferocity of the attack or the conditions in which he finds himself, Tendulkar never appears to be rushed – it is as if he somehow has the mystical ability to slow the game down in his own favour.
The ease with which he dispatches bowlers to all points of the compass belies his physical appearance, a mere 165cm (5’5”) tall, like Theseus slaying the Minotaur.
His trademark shot through the leg side is performed with the effortlessness of a man flicking lint of his trousers.
Nearing 40 years of age, Tendulkar is in the twilight of his career, albeit a twilight that has been akin to an English mid-summer’s day.
In 2010, the Mumbai Maestro had statistically his most dominant 12 months in Test ranks – 1562 runs at 78, with seven centuries from 14 matches – a staggering feat for a man who was in his 22nd year at international level.
Since then the cricketing gods have not been as kind to him, with his last Test century over two years ago against South Africa at Cape Town.
But in the opening Test against Australia in Chennai he batted with the assurance, footwork and ease of old before falling for 81.
In the second innings he dispatched Nathan Lyon for twin sixes first up.
Hyderabad will be his 196th Test appearance.
He continues to cast a disproportionate shadow across the sport but just how much longer he continues to mesmerize fans will no doubt become the next obsession of the tens of millions of ‘Tendulkarphiles’.
But, whenever the sun does finally set on the little man’s career, his deeds will live on forever, many of them destined never to be eclipsed.
One day I was sitting behind Harsha Bhogle in a commentary box in India while he was doing a stint on air for the ABC.
His co-commentator asked him what he would remember most about Tendulkar when he did eventually retire.
Harsha responded by saying it would not be a single shot or a defining innings but the way he conducted himself throughout his career, stating that he had never refused an autograph or photo and never had a harsh word for anyone despite the enormous pressures on him as he lived the ultimate fishbowl existence.
In all ways Sachin Tendulkar is a one-off.
Let’s all savour these final moments while we can.
Vijay
Guest
Calm down guys. Supporters of each of their favorite players will show statistics that put them above the rest. Curtly Ambrose did not take a single wkt in Pakistan in one series. Shane Warne and Ricky Ponting had poor record in India. Same with Murlidharan in Australia. Does that mean these are not truly great players? We must appreciate and highlight the achievements of each great player rather than their failures. You cannot have all the things going your way. Comparisons of individual players are subjective and flawed in my opinion. Cricket is a Team Sport!!! We can compare Teams but should not compare players. Cheers!!!
dadiggle
Guest
Was referring to Bradmans era and sorry meant India Anyways lets settle argument Amla>Kallis>Lara>Tendulkar Cheers
ak
Roar Guru
Ponting averaged only 51.85 i.e. less than 52. So that way he is not great since 2000s were so batsman friendly. Very good but not great. He didn't have to face McGrath at all. Infact he didn't have to face a single great fast bowler during his peak years. Maybe Steyn. But Steyn matured only recently. Perhaps 5 years before. But Ponting started declining since 2008. Neither did he dominate Donald nor did he dominate Steyn. Whereas Tendulkar who started six years before Ponting still was going strong. Infact just watch how Tendulkar at age 37 played Steyn in both home and away tests in 2010. 4 tons in 5 matches. What more do you want? How conveniently did you exclude Steyn? Also Ponting's average of 51.85 came during the batting friendly 2000's. That is surely a low average, isn't it? Now I tell you what you will say. Ponting averaged 57/58 for a major part of his career. Infact at one point it crossed 60 as well. Well that is what you call twisting stats as per your needs to support your argument. And as far as tons against Zim/Bang are considered let me make a fact clear. Check the number of innings Ponting played against Bangladesh. If he couldn't make tons its not Tendulkar's fault. And as far as Zim is considered, Tendulkar last played Tests against Zim way back in 2002 when players like Streak, Olonga, Strang were around. That was surely a good Zim team. Heath Streak and Henry Olonga were definitely good bowlers than what Zim has today. Infact Streak was much better than what Starc and Johnson are today.
hanros
Guest
Could you please explain how he lost his integrity over the monkey gate affair? Symonds was unable to conclusively say whether Harbhajan Singh had used the word monkey or a Hindi abuse, he was unable to state if he had heard Harbhajan use a term in his native tongue "teri maa ki" which appears to be pronounced with an "n" and accepted that it was a possibility. His failure to identify any other words could be because some of what they were hearing was not in English. it was funny how the Australian players maintain other than Mr Symonds that they did not hear any other words spoken, only the ones that are said to be of significance to this hearing. This is a little surprising in the context where there was a reasonably prolonged heated exchange .Clarke went so far as to say that he did not hear Mr Symonds say anything. Given Mr Symonds' own acceptance that he initiated the exchange and was abusive towards Mr Singh, that is surprising. On the topic of Sachin, video replays from various camera angles showed that Tendulkar was the closest player to the conversation and was likely to have heard it. so it is fine when australian players stick up for their team mates yet when others do it, it is wrong? I assume ponting is a man of integrity as well? it is ironic how a few aussies took the moral high ground when it wasn't completely certain whether the words monkey was actually used, whereas Murali was clearly called a monkey by sections of the crowd and had fruit thrown at him at the Gabba in 2003 and the response was "it's just a bit of fun mate". lol at australian articles like http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/cricket/monkeygate-scandal-will-forever-haunt-sachin-tendulkar/story-fn67wltq-1226234384807 why should he feel any shame when the main protagonists were harbhajan and symonds. It is all smear tactics. Bradman wasn't actually an angel either yet indians respect him, I don't understand why sections of the australian media continuously try and pull him down.
AM
Guest
Stats in matches “including” XYZ bowlers are flawed because they include times batsmen are dismissed by other bowlers. So for eg. if Tendulkar scores a Duck in a match “including” Mcgrath but to another bowler – Mcgrath get’s the “credit. For eg. In the 1998 series vs. Pakistan – Tendulkar got out to Akram or Waqar ZERO times. But the “average” of his in matches “including” players will be poor coz that was a poor series. There's lots of other examples such as Tendulkar getting dismissed by Cronje almost the same number of times as by Donald in the matches they played etc. I've posted some other examples lower down. Incorrect use of stats and data. Johno clearly has a Tendulkar phobia.
AM
Guest
Stats in matches "including" XYZ bowlers are flawed because they include times batsmen are dismissed by other bowlers. So for eg. if Tendulkar scores a Duck in a match "including" Mcgrath but to another bowler - Mcgrath get's the "credit. For eg. In the 1998 series vs. Pakistan – Tendulkar got out to Akram or Waqar ZERO times. But the “average” of his in matches “including” players will be poor coz that was a poor series. Incorrect use of stats and data.
bhanu praveen
Guest
I have experienced that spine-tangle when virender sehwag got out in chennai
Johnno
Guest
Wow it's how you feel and his wonderful knocks in the ODI 2003 and 2011 grand final. The masses of times he was dropped int he 2011 semi final vs Pakistan and got to 50, but with ridiculous amounts of dropped catches bordering suspicious. And his average record vs Donald and Mcgrath, and his average record compared to the greats, when it comes to make runs in the 4th innings. Wow Sachin Tnedulkar makes me feel real good, and clobbering masses of runs vs Bangladesh,Zimbabwe on flat tracks.
Lancashire
Guest
Wow! Too many arguments being put here. One thing I love about cricket is that you can use stats all day to back up an argument, but ultimately it's down to 'feel'. How on earth anyone can argue that Sachin isn't right up there with the all-time greats is beyond me, both by looking at the stats and realising the pressure he's been under for 20 years now. As mentioned above, he's a demi-god in India, a nation of a billion people, and you simply can't compare that to Bradman in the 30s & 40s, a world with little of the media coverage we have today. And I'm not saying Sachin is a better player than Bradman!!
JGK
Roar Guru
There was no Pakistan in the 30s. And the West Indies were far from a minnow.
AM
Guest
Mcgrath was definitely world class - but there are many world class bowlers both Tendulkar and Lara have faced up to. There is a lot else I have also "established" with facts. And then of course you have the "subjective" elements - which are actually the bits which cannot be 'established'. You seem to be confusing the two?
Johnno
Guest
AM all we have established is they are booth crap vs express pace. But Mcgrath was a world class bowler ,and Sachin couldn't handle him either
Brendon
Guest
Very compelling argument, maybe I'm just biased, I was at the ground when Lara scored his 226 in Adelaide and hit the ball out of the stadium......Magic stuff
Brendon
Guest
Wasn't aware you asked me a question Johnno, sorry mate, like I said, I only read the first three lines of your blogs, you lost me with your "Jazz up test cricket" blogs months ago.
AM
Guest
In ODI finals in total Tendulkar averages 61 with 6 100s , SR of 89. Next best is Ponting 38 wih 2 100s , SR 82 Lara's record in finals is miserable. In Word Cup ODI finals ,Tendulkar has indeed flopped and Ponting certainly has the edge there. But then without Tendulkar , India would never have got to the finals in the first place . The same cannot be said about Ponting and Australia. But, yeah that's one thing lacking in Tendulkar's record. But then noones perfect. It's all just relative.
AM
Guest
Another eg. In the 1998 series vs. Pakistan - Tendulkar got out to Akram or Waqar ZERO times. But the "average" of his in matches "including" players will be poor coz that was a poor series. Incorrect use of stats and data.
AM
Guest
Tendulalkar averages more than Lara in Ausrtralia, New Zealand and England . South Africa is almost identical. Actually Lara is perhaps more a home - town bully - wouldnt you say ?
Johnno
Guest
Brendon just dodge the question about stats, how convenient , Tendulkar is a flat track bully like Matt Hayden, as AM stats below show, and in big games he is found wanting. Should I add in the 4 he scored in the 2003 world cup final out in the 1st over of the final to Mcgrath, or the 18 he made in the 2011 world cup final. Or his paltry 26 he averages in 4th innings in all the big test matches, ESPN has all the stats, and Ricky Ponting and SUnil Gavaskar destroy him in the 4th inning's stats. Oh an Gavaskar made big runs vs the great west indies attacks to on tough pitches. And Tendulkar feasted on flat indian tracks vs all teams, how convenient.
AM
Guest
Well - Tendulkar got out to Cronje some 5 times in those same matches. The data "including' so and so bowler is flawed. Glenn Mcgrath wasn't ever express pace. Infact in the only 2 complete series Tendulkar played against Mcgrath he avg. around 50. Tendulkar played 18 inn vs. Mcgrath. For the first 18 inn Lara has similar stats - which got better as he got the hand of Mcgrath. Play out Mcgrath and you are assured a biggish score. In general Lara had a problem against express pace - perhaps the backlift and all that jumping around. Good against spin and medium pace -as it perhaps enabled him to get into position.- but very clear problem against pace. As mentioned using stats in matches 'Including' XYZ bowler are flawed because they are not direct head to heads. Just pick up some old videos of Lara vs. most express bowlers -Akram, Waqar, Donald, Bond etc - some pretty embarassing times.
Johnno
Guest
AM nonsense, why does Tendulkar only average 33 vs South Africa in matches Alan Donald played in, and only averages 35 in test matches. And 35 vs Mgrath, and 32 in matches wasim akram played in. Hardly zero weakness. Brian Lara avergaes 47 in matches Glen Mcgrath played in and Lara bats at no 3 far tough than batting at no 4, which Tendulkar did you face a new ball and fresher bowlers,.