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.
JGK
Roar Guru
Still, Tendulkar has played 4 times as many tests at Bradman. He's had plenty of chances to do it.
Bayman
Guest
Sheek, Re, a century in each innings, Bradman only did it once at Test level and, from memory, it was not until he was nearly forty years old against India in 1946/47. Perhaps, in his case, once he made a hundred in the first dig, he usually went big and did not need to bat much in the second (or score as many runs if he did). Perhaps Tendulkar had a similar situation, especially with the likes of Dravid, Laxman, Ganguly, etc in the lineup. Mind you, when Tendulkar started India probably had Vijay Merchant still playing!!!! Or maybe it just seems that long since his debut.
Tony Shillinglaw
Guest
With 'The Little Master' shortly calling it a day at a similar age to 'The Don' it is an appropriate time to make a comprehensive comparison of their respective runscoring. More importantly, batsmanship could benefit greatly should the fundamental 'Differences' which clearly exist between Sachin Tendulkar's outstanding technique and the repetitive early timing and motion of Don Bradman's, as yet untapped, "Continuous Rotary Batting Process" be recognized and applied for others by the powers that be.
Bearfax
Guest
Surely tongue in cheek Kersi. Tendulkar is one of the best two or three batsmen in the last 50 years, perhaps the best, though I have Lara slightly ahead. But comparisons with Bradman are always going to leave him well short. There was Bradman and then there was daylight.
Kersi Meher-Homji
Guest
In my post I had anticipated about seven books on Sachin Tendulkar to come out before his retirement next month. And right enough 16 books on him are advertised by The Marine Sport book shop, Mumbai today. Is this a record? Move over, Sir Donald!
ozinsa
Guest
Fine story on a great player. One thing I can't recall with ST was whether he always didn't walk or whether it only begun late in his career or whether I only noticed it late in his career. It's not a criticism, I am completely fine with players choosing not to walk. It might also be a good opportunity for some rabid Indian fans to consider that it isn't a sign of cheating, rather a sign of respect for umpires and the rules of the game. The little master may have been placid and had a wonderful temperament but he was a silent assassin always and possessed of a huge desire to win. It reflects well on him and anybody else who does likewise (including some Australians).
Nick
Roar Guru
Lara was far more beautiful to watch bat. Completely agree. But I would still put Tendulkar in my all time XI. I use the stats you provide as my evidence.
JGK
Roar Guru
Tendulkar is easily the better player than Sunny who feasted on the pre-Holding et al Windies attacks and again during WSC.
Kersi Meher-Homji
Guest
Thank you, Rajesh. November will be the month to watch.
Kersi Meher-Homji
Guest
Dear Rajesh,
Kersi Meher-Homji
Guest
Dear Rajesh,
sheek
Roar Guru
Mark, Firstly, re not scoring a 300, I don't think it's a big deal. Scoring a 200 is critical to victory. You usually don't lose a test if you score 200. The value of 300 is usually statistical. Unless you're Bradman or Sehwag, you usually take too long accumulating 300, reducing the time to bowl the opposition out twice. As for centuries in the same test, that's certainly an oddity. The closest Sachin came to this was 1996 against England in his 41st test - 177 & 74. It's almost unbelievable that after 198 tests, 327 innings & an average of 53.87, that Sachin wasn't able to hit two centuries in a test at least once. That's very odd. Sachin did score successive centuries in his 54th & 55th tests - 143 & 139 (but not in same test, of course).
mark
Guest
I find it odd that given Tendulkar's amazing record, he has not registered a triple century,or scored a century in each innings of a test. . .? any thoughts on this?
Rajesh Kumar
Guest
Dear Kersi, An excellent article indeed! Regards. Rajesh
Kersi Meher-Homji
Guest
No one denies the greatness of Sachin and the others mentioned by you, Craig. We are so lucky to watch most of them. Sheek, Vijay Merchant was great too. He later became my friend and we wrote many letters to each other. As I have mentioned before, my hero was and always will be Vijay Hazare. India 0 runs for 4 wickets and he rescues them at Leeds in 1952. Also against Australia's fiery pacemen Lindwall and Miller, he scored centuries in both innings in the 1948 Adelaide Test. Bradman was full of praise for Hazare.
Bearfax
Guest
India since it became a major cricket power has produced many great batsmen. Certainly Gavaskar was one of them. Dravid was another and who can ignore Sehwag when he was on fire. But for mine Tendulkar was the best, and ranks in the top three over the past 50 years. We'll miss his magic, but knowing the production line in India, there will be new champions just around the corner.
craig Sonnberg
Guest
YES I shall keep these stats for life even the late DC Bradman Sir , loved him dearly as they met up face to face in Adelaide one yr he shall remain an icon of the sport and at Lords when I did a tour there 12 yrs ago my tour gude said he along with Si Viv massie , Warne Lilleee Sr Len Hutton and Bradman have an area at lords near that long room that is sacraligious so that's what the MCC think of him and the small steps near the egg and sauce members is what I heard that day in the gd so it is even worth visiting Lords like I did and even hearing about the little Maestro Tendulkar even Gavaskar said he is the best he has ever seen so that is saying a lot
sheek
Roar Guru
Kersi, I can't disagree with you re Gavaskar. As as we've discussed in the past, what about Vijay Merchant? First class batting average over around 71. Born in 1911, he made his test debut in 1933/34, playing 3 tests against England and another three in 1936. He played another four tests post-war, & that was the end of his very brief test career. He still managed to hit three centuries (HS 154) in 10 tests, plus 155 against the Australian Services XI in late 1945. Yet, from 1939 to 1945, when his age went from 28 to 34, these were his best batting years. We will simply never know what he could have achieved given the same normal career as today's supposed masters.
Kersi Meher-Homji
Guest
Fantastic research, Sheek. I'll preserve it for future reference. However much I admire Sachin Tendulkar, I place Sunil Gavaskar above him among Indian bats. Why? The attack opener Gavaskar faced was much deadlier. And no helmets for most of his career. Thank you, Sporting Tragic and Smitha, for your compliments.
sheek
Roar Guru
Hi Kersi, I tracked Sachin's career, test by test, on Howstat, to see how his average climbed & fell. Also, a look at his hundreds. Here are some brief notes: 1. Tracking Sachin's test batting average. 29th test vs SLA, 1993/94 - hits 142, first time batting average above 50 (50.46). 41st test vs ENG,1996 - hits 177, first time average climbs above 54 (54.56). 46th test vs RSA, 1996/97 - hits 4 in 2nd inns, average dips below 50 again (49.30). 61st test vs AUS - hits 177 to pass 55 average for first time (55.13). 93rd test vs WIN 2001/02 - hits 117 to reach highest ever career average of 59.17. (2nd innings duck brings him back to 58.72). 190th test vs NZL 2012 - hits 17 & 27 as average remains above 55 for last time (55.08). 2. Tracking Sachin's centuries. 9th test vs ENG 1990 - hits 1st century of 119 no. 71st test vs NZL 1999 - hits 1st double century of 217 (also 21st century). 119th test vs BAN 2004/05 - hits highest test score of 248 no (also 34th century). 171st test vs AUS 2010 - hits 6th & final double century of 214 (also 49th century). 177th test vs RSA 2010/11 - hits 146 for 51st & so far last test century. I'm not at all sure I would have Tendulkar in my all-time first XI. Bradman, Sobers, Pollock, Headley & Hammond (all middlers), & Hobbs, Hutton, B.Richards and Gavaskar (all openers) provide intense competition for the top six batting positions. Even Sangakkara, Kallis, Lara & V.Richards are in contention as middle order batters. But that is a discussion for another day. Suffice to say, Tendulkar is India's greatest batsman & the best contemporary batsman of the past 20 years. Although purely from a personal perspective, I preferred watching Lara bat of the modern masters.