Sachin Tendulkar the greatest sports icon in Indian history is colloquially known as Little Master or Master Blaster, and often referred to as the God of Cricket by Indian cricket followers, will be celebrating his 46th birthday on April 24.
Sachin Tendulkar has played 200 International Test matches in which he has scored a total of 15, 921 runs with an average of 53.78. While in his 463 One-Day International matches, Sachin has scored a total of 18,426 runs with an average of 44.83. He is the only player to reach 13,000 runs in Test Cricket. Sachin Tendulkar has the most total centuries scored-100 centuries among all international cricketers.
Here are the top 5 innings of Sachin Tendulkar:
‘Main Khelega’ (1989):
Indian cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar made his debut against Pakistan on November 15, 1989. Tendulkar was all of 16 years and 205 days when he was brought in to play against fast bowlers like Waqar Younis and Wasim Akram.
During the fourth Test match of the series, Waqar Younis came in to bowl and slammed the ball in the middle of the wicket. The ball hit squarely on Tendulkar’s nose. He fell down and was bleeding profusely. Non-striker Navjot Singh Sidhu and Indian physio ran for his rescue. When everybody was waiting for Sachin Tendulkar to be carried out on a stretcher, he said ‘main khelega’ in his broken Hindi. The gritty Tendulkar got up and hit the next ball by Waqar Younis for 4 runs. And after that Sachin did exactly what he said. He played for the next 23 years and made every record possible in world cricket for a batsman.
The Desert Storm (1998):
Sachin’s highest ODI score is 200* runs but on April 22, 1998, Sachin Tendulkar played one of the greatest ODI innings in history,
Sachin’s highest ODI score is 200* runs but on April 22, 1998, Sachin Tendulkar played one of the greatest ODI innings in history. It was the sixth match of the tri-nation tournament (India-Australia-New Zealand)Australians piled up 284 runs while batting first. That was a winning total in those days and Michael Bevan’s unbeaten century (101*) had laid the foundation for Australia’s big score.
During India’s Batting, as usual, wickets kept falling and Tendulkar stood tall amidst the ruins. But with the score on 143/4 in 31 overs, a desert storm interrupted the match. When play resumed, India and Sachin’s task had become even more difficult. The revised target to enter the final was 237 runs in 46 overs.
But the Indian ace returned to the ground only to torment the Aussies even more, smashing 143 off 131 balls against Australia in Sharjah to seal India’s place in the Coca-Cola Cup final. Tendulkar’s innings was studded with 9 boundaries and 5 massive sixes.
He returned to the same venue two days later to help India win the tournament by scoring another century against the same Australian side. It was also Tendulkar’s 25th birthday.
2003 WC- 98 off 75 vs Pakistan:
On March 1, 2003, during the super six stage of the World Cup India needed to score 274 runs in 50 overs to beat their arch-rivals Pakistan.
The Pakistani bowling attack consisted of the likes of Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis, Shoaib Akhtar and Shahid Afridi, and India needed to put its best foot forward, on the batting front to overhaul a very challenging total.
‘Little Master’ who opened the Indian innings with Virender Sehwag, had scored 98 runs off just 75 deliveries hitting 12 boundaries and one six off Akhtar and made the chase of 274 runs look a simple procedure. India won the match by six wickets.
175 run knock against Australia (2009):
On November 5, 2009, it was the 5th ODI of the seven-match ODI series against Australia in India. MS Dhoni-led side were facing an in-form Australian team, which placed a mammoth 351-run target at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad. India lost the rubber by three runs chasing the target but Sachin’s valiant effort left the city in awe. Sachin played a lone hand (175 in just 141 balls) in the reply but disappointingly India fell short by just three runs.
The maestro finally fell to McKay in the 48th over before India ended at 347 all out in 49.4 overs, leaving the crowd stunned. Even though India lost the series 4-2 but Indian fans only remember the Little Master’s innings from that series.
First batsman to score double century in ODI (2010):
On February 24, 2010, master blaster Sachin Tendulkar became the first ever batsman to score a double century in an ODI match. The venue was the Captain Roop Singh Stadium in Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh and the opposition was South Africa. He managed to reach the historic landmark off 147 balls in the final over the Indian innings.
Sachin Tendulkar had a brisk start as he reached his half century off just 37 balls which included 9 fours. The second 50 runs came quite slowly, still he completed his century off 90 balls. The next two 50 runs were scored in 28 and 29 balls respectively and he reached the milestone in 50th over.
With the help of Sachin’s 200*, India placed a target of 401 runs in front of South Africa. Later, India won the match by 153.
These are some of the world class knocks by master blaster. Sachin Tendulkar made his international debut on November 15, 1989 in Karachi, Pakistan. And exactly 24 years later, on 16th November 2013 he retired from international cricket.
