Sachin Tendulkar Turns 51: Some Numbers Which Define The Genius Of The Master Blaster

He is widely rated as the greatest batter after Sir Don Bradman. His rise was synonymous with India’s growth story in the 1990s.

He became an inspiration for millions of Indians capturing their hearts and minds like no one else in the decade. He broke records, set new milestones and scaled unprecedented heights during a career which lasted nearly two and a half decades.

On the 51st birthday of the living legend, Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar, we look at a few numbers which defined his glorious career.

The Aggregate Man

Tendulkar holds the record for the most runs in ODIs, Tests and international cricket. He has an aggregate of 18,426 runs in ODIs and is followed by Kumar Sangakkara (14,234) and Virat Kohli (13,848). The closest competition to Tendulkar’s aggregate of 15,921 in Test cricket from active players comes from England’s Joe Root who is currently at number 10 with 11,736 runs. Overall, Tendulkar has scored 34,357 runs in international cricket with Kumar Sangakkara (28,016), Ricky Ponting (27,483), Virat Kohli (26,733) and Mahela Jayawardena (25,957) completing the top 5 list.

Most Hundreds in Tests & international cricket

Tendulkar created history on the 26th of September, 1998 in Bulawayo when he smashed an unbeaten 127 to take India to an eight-wicket win in the series opener against Zimbabwe. He overtook the great Desmond Haynes breaking his four-year old record for the most hundreds in ODI cricket. It was Tendulkar’s 18th ton in the format and he never looked back, eventually ending with 49!

Tendulkar surpassed Sunil Gavaskar’s tally of 34 Test hundreds when he registered 109 against Sri Lanka in Delhi in December, 2005. He ultimately ended with 51 Test hundreds – a record which still remains unbroken.

Overall, Tendulkar has a tally of 100 international hundreds and his biggest challenger is Virat Kohli who is at number 2 with 80. They are followed by Ricky Ponting (71), Kumar Sangakkara (63) and Jacques Kallis (62).

The Best against the very best

Australia were the greatest team in the world – both in Tests and ODI cricket – for a majority of Tendulkar’s career. From his fighting hundred at the W.A.C.A. in 1992 to the twin ODI tons in Sharjah to the brilliant 155 in the Chennai Test in 1998 – Tendulkar relished playing against Australia and they brought out the best in him.

Tendulkar had an aggregate of 3077 runs in 70 innings at an average of 44.59 against Australia in ODIs and an aggregate of 3630 runs in 39 matches at an average of 55 against them in Test cricket. He has a record 20 hundreds against Australia which are the most for any batter against a particular opposition. Bradman had 19 against England.

Piling on the big runs

No batter scored 1000+ runs in a calendar year in Test cricket more times than Tendulkar. The Little Master achieved the feat on six occasions – in 1997, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2008 and 2010. Brian Lara, Matthew Hayden, Alastair Cook, Kumar Sangakkara, Jacques Kallis and Ricky Ponting – all achieved the feat five times.

Tendulkar also scored 1000+ runs in a calendar year in ODIs as many as seven times which was the most for any batter till Virat Kohli achieved the feat on eight occasions. Tendulkar also holds the record for the most ODI runs in a calendar year – he hammered a staggering 1894 runs in 33 innings at an average of 65.3 and strike rate of 102.2 with nine hundreds and seven fifties in 1998!

Tendulkar also holds the Indian record for the most runs in Tests in a calendar year. He had an aggregate of 1562 runs from just 14 Tests in 2010.

Raising his game on the Big Stage

Tendulkar had a penchant for the big-stage and raised his game when it mattered most – in the World Cup. He was the highest scorer in the 1996 edition in India and the 2003 edition in South Africa. Tendulkar was also the leading run-scorer for India in the victorious 2011 edition at home.

Overall, he had an aggregate of 2278 runs in 44 innings with six hundreds at the World Cup. No batter has scored more runs than Tendulkar in the marquee tournament.

Dominating the 1990s & the Golden Period

Tendulkar was the undisputed king of international cricket in the 1990s. Yes, there was Lara and Inzamam too but no one came close to Tendulkar in this decade. Tendulkar had the highest Test average of 58, the highest aggregate (8571) and the most hundreds (24) in ODI cricket in this 10-year period.

He was unstoppable in the four years between 1996 and 1999 – ruthlessly consistent and devastating. During this Golden Era, Tendulkar was the leading run-getter in both Tests (3358) and ODIs (5359) and had the most hundreds in both formats (14 in Tests and 20 in ODIs). It got better. He had the second-highest average in Tests of 61.05 and the highest average for a top-order batter in ODIs (47.84)!