NEW DELHI: Indian batting legend Sachin Tendulkar had a remarkable cricketing career in Australia, where he built a reputation as one of the greatest batsmen of all time.
Sachin’s performances in Australia, particularly against the formidable Australian bowling attack, stand out as some of the most iconic moments in cricket history.
When Tendulkar landed in Australia as an 18-year-old in 1991, he already had a reputation of being a batting wonder-kid, who had saved a Test for India against England in Manchester in 1990.
And by the time the Indian team reached Perth for the fifth Test of the series, Tendulkar had already given the Australian public glimpses of his marvellous batting genius with a swashbuckling unbeaten 148 in the third Test in Sydney.
But what unfolded that day at the WACA Ground on the bounciest pitch in the world at that time, was a batting masterclass against a bowling attack that had the likes of Craig McDermott, Merv Hughes, Paul Reiffel, Mike Whitney and Tom Moody. And that it came from an 18-year-old when only four of his teammates reached double figures in that innings, showcased a very mature head on very young shoulders.
Batting after Australia’s 346, Tendulkar arrived at the crease with India at 69/2. The Aussies tried to bounce him out, but Tendulkar dug in deep and displayed an array of shots consisting of cuts and pulls, smashing 16 fours to reach his third Test hundred.
With India folding up for 272, Tendulkar’s was the last wicket to fall. Though India lost the Test by 300 runs, Tendulkar’s innings is still regarded as the one of the best knocks played by an overseas batsman in Australia.
Tendulkar’s rivalry with Australian legends like Shane Warne, Glenn McGrath, and Brett Lee is a highlight of his career. Warne once mentioned that bowling to Tendulkar in India was his worst nightmare, especially after Tendulkar’s counterattacking innings during the 1998 series.
Tendulkar’s performances in Australia solidified his place as one of cricket’s all-time greats. His ability to dominate the best bowlers on challenging pitches earned him immense respect, even among Australian fans.