Sachin’s greatest one-day knocks
Posted by Sportsnob on August 15th, 2006
As the master returns to international cricket after a break, I wanted to look back at Sachin’s greatest one-day knocks.
Ranking Sachin’s test innings is arguably an easier task. Considering he has scored 39 centuries and for some portion of the ’90s, was the lone warrior in the Indian team in the one-day game, this is going to be difficult,. And with so many people having watched many of these, people will have their own favorites.
J.H. Fingleton wrote in an article about Vic Trumper but he could very well have been writing for me:
“… A fighting innings of 30 or so under difficult conditions is lost in cold statistics yet its merits may far outweigh many staid (and often unnecessary) centuries that are recorded for all time…What is important is whether a particular contest gives to posterity a challenge that is accepted and won, or yields in classical technique an innings or bowling effort that makes the game richer so that a devotee can say years afterwards, with joy in his voice: ‘I saw that performance’ ..” (How I wish i could write like this!!!)
That is the spirit in which this ranking is done.Where I couldn’t judge on that basis alone, I have fallen back on quality of opposition and importance of the innings in the context of a series/ tournament.
Rank 5: v Aus 90, Mumbai, 1996
It was arguably Sachin’s best tournament. In this match under lights at The Wankhede stadium, Sachin tore into the Australian bowlers and McGrath was taken to the cleaners. He was coming down the wicket and hitting them straight over the bowler’s head. With a rapturous home crowd cheering him on, Sachin played his best innings of the World Cup of 1996. Australia’s Mark Waugh had set the stage with a graceful century and Sachin came out and bested it. Yes, he got out to a rash shot and to an intelligent piece of bowling (stumped off a wide) but then he gave us an innings to remember for a life-time.
Watch the video here
Rank 4: v NZ 82, Auckland, 1993/1994
Sachin had started out as a lower middle-order batsman in the one-day game. One fine day during India’s tour to NewZealand, Navjot Sidhu made his biggest contribution to Indian cricket: a stiff neck laid him low and Sachin was asked to open. Then came Sachin at his savage best. 82 off 49 studded with seventeen hits to the boundary:15 fours and 2 sixes. The Kiwis didn’t know where to bowl. And India had found its greatest opener/player in the one-day game.
Rank 3: v Aus 134, Sharjah, 1998
India had struggled through to the finals. Batting second and chasing a target of around 270, Sachin put on a sublime display of batting. He never looked like getting out, never once believing India would lose. He made 134 of the finest runs seen in Sharjah. It was after this tournament that Sachin finally put to rest the argument on the finest batsman ever, to rest- for a long time to come.
Watch the video here
Rank 2: v Pak 98 WC, Centurion, 2003
World Cup, Pakistan, emotions running high, 273 runs on the board, Shoaib and his special ball. Special it was. 98 of the most precious runs made for India. The little master showed Shoaib his place. Starting off quietly, Sachin took the attack to the opposition after the dismissal of the explosive Sehwag. Two quick wickets fell but as long as Sachin was there, the game was in the bag. Falling 2 short of a well deserved century, Sachin had again shown the critics: cometh the hour, cometh the man.
Watch the video here
Rank 1: v Aus 143, Sharjah, 1998
Desert Storm. India needed to qualify for the finals. Off to a dismal start, India were quickly in trouble. Sachin in the company of Mongia was putting things together when a sand storm hit the stadium. What we saw after that was the best display of one-day batting I’ve ever seen. Bowlers were hit to all parts of the ground. There was a brilliant shot off Tom Moody, straight over his head and Tony Greig’s commentary, for a change indicated that we were watching something truly special. Had he stayed longer, we would have even won the game. The great man at his best.
Honorable mentions : 186 v NZ Hyderabad , v SL s/f WC 1996 (he batted on a placid track while the rest batted on a minefield), 141 v Pak Rawalpindi (2003/04) , 104 v Zim at Benoni (1996), 141 v Aus Dhaka…. and so many more
Technorati Tags: Sachin, Tendulkar, India, Cricket, Hundreds, Best
- Prof
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August 17th, 2006 at 2:06 am
Its a brave man that decides to rank the top 5 Sachin innings….kudos to the effort!
I vaguely recall one other innings of his. This was played in India during 1998/99. I think Aus had put up a total of around 220 on the board. The pitch was definitely not an easy one to play on. But Sachin came on and tore the bowling to shreds. He hit a lot of sixes and got out after scoring a century. The remaining 20 or so runs that we needed to win took about 10 overs to accomplish. That was another special one from Sachin. Do you recall that one?
The 95 of 78 balls against Pak and the 44 of 28 in the final against Pak (both at Dhaka) are a couple of significant ones from his collection, IMO
August 17th, 2006 at 3:12 am
one innings that you seem to have left out was the one against pakistan in the last world cup. that was an awesome innings too. but then like you said, there are too many of those to list…
August 17th, 2006 at 3:14 am
oops, sorry! you do have that one!
August 17th, 2006 at 4:48 pm
@DS: Yes, the prof is a brave man! And I dont remember the innings you are talking about. Will look it up !
August 18th, 2006 at 1:18 am
As I was reading this post, it felt like one of those mysteries where I had to read the ending before I read the book, a common irresistible flaw of many avid readers. Thankfully I didn’t succumb to the pressure but nevertheless the top pick was what I had been hoping for. His innings, rightly coined ‘The Desert Storm’ for more than one reason, was truly awe inspiring and will be forever etched in the memories of all Indian cricket fans, if not the world.
August 18th, 2006 at 10:10 am
@ DS : Thanks. Yeah, the Dhaka knocks. I don’t remember the 95 properly but yes, the knock in the final game I do remember. I think Sachin’s role in the chase has been under-estimated. Yes, ganguly and Singh batted well but Sachin had destroyed the opening bowlers.
@ Partha: How do you forget that innings… Shoaib put where he belonged- beyond the boundary.
@ Panchos: The Desert Storm will remain THE DEFINING Sachin innings for me. Start slowly and build the innings. Destroy opposition when fully set… also the entire range of strokes. And oh good that you went from 5 to 1
August 18th, 2006 at 11:55 am
That was an excellent post! Thanks for bringing back old memories - I vaguely remember one innings during the Windies tour maybe in 97/98 - I’m not too sure - Sachin made a quick 43 or 44 on a very fast and green pitch - read somewhere that he rates it highly himself!
Maybe thats worth a mention too!!
August 18th, 2006 at 11:37 pm
Can’t disagree with the top two dude. He’s a bloody magician.
The first Sharjah century was just genius - I recall my grandad calling me and telling me about how fantastic it was. The sandstorm was like a sign from the Gods - take cover! Another shot I won’t forget in a hurry was when he blasted this yorker from Steve Waugh right back over his head for 4 (Waugh wasn’t fast, mind, but easily one of the most intelligent cricketers to play the game. Although he did HANDLE the ball during that classic series against India in 2001!)
Cracking read dude.
August 19th, 2006 at 5:21 am
ian chappells description of an over
kasprowicz to tendulkar
nil nil nil nil bang bang
000066
unforgetable!!
August 19th, 2006 at 9:49 am
@ Shyam: Thanks… and the one day series during that tour to WI is quite a blur to me. Maybe if I can get hold of cliipings somewhere
@ Vishnu: He is just something man! And Waugh’s handling the ball …
… why remember that incident in a great career
August 19th, 2006 at 9:53 am
@ Ravi: That Sharjah time left everyone stunned… also remember Greig going hysterical: “the little fella has hit the big man for a six!!” … “Sachin Tendulkar wants to win this match..”
@ Indignant: The innings against Pakistan was probably a more important one coz it came during the World Cup. But in terms of sheer brilliance… The Desert Storm is Number 1 for me
August 19th, 2006 at 3:54 pm
I loved that shot he played off Steve Waugh.And Greig’s commentary when he launched into Kasprowicz and sent the ball onto the roof! Fabulous stuff!
November 23rd, 2006 at 2:25 pm
Sachin’s 67 off44 at Dhaka against Pakistan in 1998 was a treat to watch. Still I relish the way he pulverized Pak pacers.
January 1st, 2007 at 12:22 am
@DS, that innings that you referred to was in the tourney prior to the Coca Cola Cup in Sharjah… He hit some 7 odd sixes in that match. We won all the league games, but lost the final in that series… Those were the days!
July 3rd, 2007 at 1:40 am
And you can add two more knocks to the list Prof.The 99 and 93 against SA earlier this month.The 93 was fabulous.The innings that he got 99 might have seemed slow but given the conditions and the bowling standards of the south Africans,he did tremendously well…he richly deserved a century in both the games![:(]
July 3rd, 2007 at 1:44 am
And how can anybody forget his six of Caddick in the the ‘03 WC!!!
July 4th, 2007 at 3:49 am
felt really gud reading the blog as well as the comments.i have a long list of favourites to pick from THE MASTER but the demolition of Henry Olango in sharjah is definitely one of my top picks.Still remember how me d my younger brother got really upset about Olango’s hysterics the previous match on dismissing Sachin and HOW we were jus jumping for joy the next one….how can i forget the 155* he made against Australia in Chennai in which he son nonchalantly whacked Warne out of sights was a sight for sore eyes really…..and again in 2000 in bangalore he made a quich 37 in which he picked Mcgrath for some special treatment(19 in one over…..)….oh my god i might go on d on d on…..
July 5th, 2007 at 12:42 am
@ Kartick: Unfortunately I didn’t watch the 2 games but the reviews led me to believe that the 99 should have been significantly better. In the second half of his innings, he didn’t accelerate enough et al. And Andy Caddick! Wonder what his list of achievements is… only foot in mouth gaffes
July 5th, 2007 at 12:49 am
@ Cedric: Thanks. And yes, those were Henry Olonga’s fifteen minutes of fame… and Sachin came back and taught him a lesson in stunning fashion
August 16th, 2007 at 2:47 am
Oh!This was a nice treat for a hardcore fan of Sachin ! I really enjoyed reading the blogs.For me the best ODI innings is the dust storm Sharjah And the best Six from Sachin is that Caddick’s one in WC’03.The most enjoyable one is Shoab Akthar’s over in WC’03.Just imagine if Sachin’s non-existence in this criket world.It would created a void in Indian team and India would have arguably became a 10th rated team for the past two decades,because Sachin has single handedly won too many matched for india.
September 25th, 2007 at 12:18 pm
You missed out on a damn good knock there.
The 108 or something against England in 2002 in Glamorgan.The match got abandoned due to rain in the 2nd innings,but that was a masterpiece(if you had a chance to watch it).Even Nasser admitted that it was an education in building an ODI innings.
….and C’mon,the Centurion knock in ‘03 is far better than the Sharjah ton in ‘98 final.Which 1 was played under more pressure?Which 1 was played under a better attack?Which 1 was played at a bigger stage?Which 1 was more destructive?
Anyway,1’s one opinion
March 21st, 2008 at 1:57 am
Dear,Friend
Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar is an Indian cricketer who is widely regarded as one of
the greatest batsmen in the history of cricket.[1][2][3] In 2002, Wisden rated him
as the second greatest Test batsman after Sir Donald Bradman, and the greatest
One-day international batsman.He holds several highly regarded batting records
and is the leading scorer of centuries in both Test cricket and one-day
internationals.
Please Visit For More Detail
http://desidirectory.com/desi-indian-blogs/
August 31st, 2008 at 6:20 am
One more great inngs which is not that largely dicussed coming to memory.An ind -Pak match in Canada Sahara series.A 33 over match ..Pak scores 170 runs..about 5.15 runs /over in cold seaming conditions.India wins it by 8 wkts scoring 173 of just about 29.5 overs.Akram,Saqlain and Waqar were the main bowlers.Sachin scored 89* of only 89 balls as captain .