Numerous well-known cricket players have contributed to the game’s development in various ways. As a result, April 24 is a unique day since it commemorates the birth of one of baseball’s greatest legends and most complete batters. An individual who fulfilled the ambitions of the billion Indian cricket fans and aspiring players alike. Sachin Tendulkar, the best Indian opener, is one of cricket’s most illustrious figures.
It’s interesting to note that several luminaries have expressed their opinions on Tendulkar regarding his participation in the game and approach. In a similar spirit, Ricky Ponting, the former captain of Australia and world champion, was questioned regarding his thoughts on the batting style of the ‘Master Blaster’.
Ponting praised the illustrious Indian as being the technically soundest batter he had seen yet. Additionally, he noted that it did not really matter whether they were playing with him or against him because the powerful batter always found a way to attack the opposing team’s bowlers. In addition, he believed that comparing himself to other batters was unfair owing to the difficult playing conditions and regulations of his day.
“Sachin Tendulkar is technically the best batter I’ve ever seen, played with, or against, I’ve said for ever. Whether it was in India or Australia, he found a way to thwart any strategy that we, as a bowling team, came up with, according to the illustrious Australian.
Ricky Ponting also praised the batting prodigy’s strokeplay. He cited his straight drive and use of the full face of the bat as his trademarks when reflecting on his remarkable double century (241* runs) knock against Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground in 2004, which ended in a tie. Notably, Tendulkar made an effort to avoid playing through the off side during that inning to eliminate all opportunities to edge a ball into the slip cordon. Despite playing a long knock that deeply upset the Australians, he demonstrated his genius by playing the ball straight down the ground and navigating it through the on-side area.
The first thing that comes to mind when thinking of Tendulkar is simply witnessing the full face of the bat returning clean past the bowler and down the line of the ball. So I believe it would definitely be his signature,” Ricky Ponting said on an episode of “The ICC Review” before Tendulkar turned 50.
Furthermore, despite being a short batter himself and one of the best ball pullers, Ponting saw how the Mumbai-born player could hammer the ball down the ground by staying on top of the ball’s bounce.
“Whether it be on the front foot or even back foot—because he was short in stature, he won’t mind me saying that—he was able to sort of stand up on top of the bounce of the ball and punch it back down the ground, off the front foot or back foot,” Ponting said in his conclusion.
Against Australia, Sachin Tendulkar displayed some of his best batting performances.
Few people are aware that Sachin Tendulkar began his cricket career as a non-opener. On November 15, 1988, he made his professional debut against Pakistan, the arch-rivals. It’s interesting to note that he entered the game as the number-six batter. Even though he only managed to score 15 runs, he nonetheless made an impression on the elite Pakistani bowling team. Additionally, he was the youngest player ever to play any type of cricket at the international level. The storied batter was only 16 years old.
Since then, Tendulkar has produced some of the best hits you’ll ever see. But one of the toughest and most favored opponents of the Indian hero has been Australia. In addition to his fantastic double century, his century in Perth is regarded as one of the best innings ever played in Australia against Australia. At the legendary WACA stadium, Sachin Tendulkar hit a memorable ton as a 19-year-old on the quickest surface in the world at the time.
After a few years, Sachin Tendulkar experienced the pinnacle of his career when Sir Don Bradman, the best cricketer to ever play the game, informed his wife that Tendulkar was the most similar to him. Notably, Tendulkar has played an amazing 200 Test matches, scoring 15,921 runs with 51 centuries. In contrast, the legend has played in an amazing 463 ODI matches, scoring 18,426 runs including the first men’s ODI double hundred, which occurred against South Africa in Gwalior.
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