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Sachin Tendulkar, among world’s greatest batsmen, has finally decided to retire from all forms of cricket after wowing spectators home and away with his attractive batting and modesty.
And what an innings it has been — from his Test debut in November 1989 against Pakistan in Karachi at the age of 16, to his swansong against the West Indies in India next month at the age of 40!
His Test debut was a baptism of fire against the pace trio of Imran Khan, Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis.
In his final Test, Tendulkar will become the first cricketer to play 200 Tests. In 198 Tests so far, he has scored 15,837 runs at an average of 53.86, hitting 51 centuries (highest score 248 not out) and 67 fifties.
He is the only batsman to score over 15,000 runs and the only one to record 50 centuries. The next highest run scorer is Australia’s Ricky Ponting with 13,378 runs at an average of 51.85 in 168 Tests and the next highest century maker is South Africa’s Jacques Kallis with 44 centuries in 162 Tests.
England’s Colin Cowdrey was the first batsman to play 100 Tests (at Birmingham in 1968 against Australia) and had celebrated the occasion by hitting a century. Will Tendulkar prove his doubters wrong by scoring a double century in his 200th Test? It will be in the second Test against the West Indies in mid-November in India.
In his 100th Test against England at The Oval in September 2002, Tendulkar had scored 54 runs in 114 minutes off 89 balls, hitting 10 fours. As Peter Roebuck later said, “I remember Sachin’s 100th Test because a century was expected but he was like a cat on a hot tin roof and did not settle. His dismissal was not a surprise. He hates a fuss and dislikes matches being about him.”
Now that no one expects a big score from him in every match, he is hopefully less like a cat on a hot tin roof and more like a mature lion on a unique hunt.
When he completed his 100th international century last year, seven books were written on him. I expect seven more on the eve of and after his final Test appearance.
Rather than bore you with statistics, I’ll quote what eminent cricket personalities have written about him.
The sign of greatness is when opponents pays you a complement. And when an Australian opponent showers praises on you, you are a legend. Steve Waugh, not known to give an inch to a rival, famously said, “You take Don Bradman away and Tendulkar is the next up, I reckon.”
Tendulkar hit his maiden Test century at Manchester against England in August 1990, aged 17. England’s notable author David Frith headlined his story “Hail the Boy King” and wrote, “How could anyone so young be so good at the highest level?”
Then followed his tour of Australia in 1991-92 and magnificent centuries in the Sydney and Perth Tests. After his Sydney masterpiece, Neil Harvey eulogised, “He is the best player I’ve seen since ages. I love the way he places the ball past fieldsmen and his back foot technique is superb.”
On a bouncing pitch on the WACA in Perth Tendulkar hit a captivating 114. This made Allan Border rave, “If he can play like this at 19, I shudder to think what he will be at 25.”
What indeed!
After Tendulkar received Man of the Match Award in the 1990 Manchester Test, Richie Benaud commented on TV, “We’ll see a lot more centuries from his bat. I hope I’ll be around to see them.”
Yes Benaud was around in almost half of Sachin Tendulkar’s 51 Test tons.
I was lucky enough to applaud all his centuries and double centuries in the Sydney Tests.
I consider myself blessed. Well played, Sachin.