Tendulkar does not need any introduction. He is undoubtedly the best player to have ever played the game of cricket. He has several records on his resume and is the highest run scorer in the world in both one day and Test cricket.
Tendulkar has played for nearly twenty-three years. Throughout his career, he has delivered loads of jaw-dropping performances. Those innings have helped Team India to establish supremacy in world cricket.
On his 47th birthday, we reflect on eight of Tendulkar's most magnificent innings in one day cricket, the format in which he scored 49 centuries and 18,426 runs.
In an international career spanning 24 years, Tendulkar broke pretty much every major batting record. Of his many spectacular innings in a 463-match long ODI career, we shortlisted eight especially remarkable innings.
Here, we'll briefly look at what makes each of those knocks so special.
143 v Australia, Sharjah, 1998.
A knock nicknamed 'Desert Storm', it had all the hallmarks of a great innings. Against an attack featuring Shane, Damien Fleming and Michael Kasprowicz, Tendulkar played with remarkable fluency despite the lack of support from the other batsmen. In a knock that was ahead of its time, he struck nine fours and five sixes to score 143 off just 131 balls.
His efforts weren't enough to chase down a revised target of 276 in 46 overs, but it ensured India got into the final of the tournament ahead of New Zealand. The knock gets its nickname from the fact that a sandstorm halted play, but once that subsided, Tendulkar took charge.
140 v Kenya, World Cup, 1999.
This knock warrants a place among Tendulkar's best not only for the quality of it, but also for the poignant circumstances that it came under: only a few days after he lost his father.
Tendulkar labelled the period as the 'most difficult stage of my life', but was still able to showcase remarkable focus and stroke play on the field.
He hit 16 fours and three sixes, powering India to 329/2, which helped them to a 94-run win to keep their tournament hopes alive.
134 v Australia, Sharjah, 1998.
Buoyed by the stunning 143 in the previous game, Tendulkar produced another masterclass in the final two days later. He got going with a couple of stunning cover drives off the Australian fast bowlers and there was no looking back. He hit 12 fours and three sixes in a measured 131-ball knock to help India chase down Australia's 272/9 with six wickets to spare.
175 v Australia, Hyderabad, 2009.
With Australia having set India 351 for victory, Tendulkar took the task on and single-handedly put his side on the brink of a stunning victory. He smashed 19 fours and four sixes in a 141-ball blitz. Unfortunately for him, the majority of the other batsmen had an off day, and India fell three runs short.
98 v Pakistan, World Cup, 2003.
Anwar had led Pakistan's way to a challenging 273/7, and India would have wanted a strong start. Tendulkar provided them with exactly that, and laid the foundation for a comfortable six-wicket victory with a stroke-filled 75-ball knock, which featured 12 fours and a six – an iconic hit over deep backward point fence off Akhtar.
117* v Australia, Sydney, 2008.
Against a top-quality Australian attack, featuring the likes of Brett Lee, Mitchell Johnson and Nathan Bracken, in the first final of the best of three series.
India's chase of 240 with a brilliant knock, featuring 10 boundaries off 120 deliveries.
200 v South Africa, Gwalior, 2010.
Twenty-one years after making his debut, Tendulkar was not only maintaining the exceptionally high levels he set himself, but was also breaking new ground. His constant endeavor to keep getting better was epitomized by his 147-ball, unbeaten double century against South Africa, becoming the first man to reach the milestone in ODI cricket. His knock helped India to a total of 401/3 and a 153-run defeat of South Africa.
82 v Newzealand, Auckland, 1994.
This was the first time Tendulkar was promoted to open the innings, and he proved his caliber straight away, hammering the New Zealand attack to all parts in an aggressive display. With just 143 to chase, he blasted 15 fours and two sixes from his 49-ball stay to help India over the line with 26.4 overs and seven wickets to spare.
He has several best innings on his resume and is the highest run scorer in the world in both ODI and Test cricket.
Tendulkar does not need any introduction. He is undoubtedly the best player to have ever played the game of cricket. He has several records on his resume and is the highest run scorer in the world in both ODI and Test cricket.
Tendulkar has played for nearly twenty-three years. Throughout his career, he has delivered loads of jaw-dropping performances. Those innings have helped Team India to establish supremacy in world cricket.
5. 120(115) vs England- 2011 World Cup
England and India have a lot of history between them. While England claims to invent the game itself, India is the best cricketing nation in the world. An encounter between these two teams on a world cup is always phenomenal.
During the 2011 World Cup, India meet England at the group stage in a qualifying match. Tendulkar opened the batting, and then Virender departed after an early stint. While wickets kept falling at regular intervals, Tendulkar kept his pace and batted like a genius. He scored a brilliant hundred and got out at 120. This helped India post a formidable total of 338.
The bowlers did a decent job and the match ended in a tie. India could have lost that encounter had Tendulkar not contributed with his bat.
4. 98(75) vs Pakistan- 2003 World Cup
India, Pakistan encounters are always thrilling to watch. If such an encounter occurs at the World Cup, it is even more enthralling. One such match occurred at the 2003 World Cup.
Pakistan scored a massive 273/7 in 50 overs. In response, India started well, but was struggling after two successive falls of wickets. However, Tendulkar held his nerve and kept batting in an outstanding fashion. He thrashed bowlers across the stadium and guided India to a remarkable victory.
This was one of his best knocks ever.
3. 114(147) vs Bangladesh
In International cricket, scoring one century is often a dream for many players. Tendulkar went on to score 100 international centuries. His hundredth and last century is very special, not only for Tendulkar himself but for the entire cricketing fraternity.
India and Bangladesh meet at Asia Cup in Dhaka in 2012. As usual, Tendulkar opened the batting for India along with Gambhir. This was Tendulkar's one of the slowest innings. It was probably because he did not score a century for quite some time. Tendulkar eventually reached the 100 run mark and became the first person in this world to score 100 international hundreds.
India lost the match, but cricket won the contest.
2. 194(348)* vs Pakistan
This match is mostly remembered by fans for Virender's 309 runs. However, Tendulkar played an equally important inning.
He scored 194 from 348 deliveries hitting 21 boundaries. Tendulkar could have reached his 200 had captain not decided to declare. India set a massive total of 675/5.
In response, Pakistan succumbed to 407 and was forced to follow on. Pakistan got all out for 216 and India won the match by an innings and 52 runs.
This was Tendulkar's 33rd test Century.
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200* vs South Africa
Scoring a century in an ODI is often highly difficult. To score a 200 is probably a dream come true. Tendulkar was the first man on this planet to score a double century in the ODI.
India faced South Africa at Gwalior. Tendulkar opened the batting. He started his innings at a regular pace. However, once he got set, he started smashing the balls out of the pavilion. He scored 200 not out in just 147 balls. The entire world stood on its feat and saluted the little master.
India won the match by 153 runs.
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