The Sachin Tendulkar Debate
With one of the more mediocre Ashes series in progress, I thought it was a good time to delve into that age-old (well, atleast 3-4 year old) debate about
How good is Sachin Tendulkar, really?
The intent is to explore the question from a variety of angles over a series of posts to make a statement one way or another.
I reckon the topic deserves a new page of its own. What’s your take? On ‘The Sachin Tendulkar Debate‘
Disclaimer:
Outside Edge! loves Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar. From the time he started smacking new ball bowlers over cover in New Zealand. From the time he went from ‘ridiculously talented prodigy’ to the batsman on whom India’s chances rested. From the time entire stadiums erupted at the sight of the MRF blade emerging from the pavilion. and the very same stadiums went silent and started emptying when one got through his defence.
Through the time he assumed captaincy of the weakest travellers in world cricket just before tours of South Africa and Australia. Through the time India were routed by pace and seam and his captaincy derided. Through the time he alone stood at the MCG while the others looked club class.
Through the time he cried in the dressing room in Chennai after taking his team to within touching distance of victory. Through the time other talents emerged and became ‘flavour of the season’ as he kept scoring his runs, albeit, more sedately. The time when India were blitzed in the world cup final that he took us to.
Till the time he keeps striding out to take that ‘just outside’ leg stump guard, to adjust various parts of his equipment to then look down the pitch towards the bowler. He will remain the batsman to have played for India and damn near the best batsman of all time to have played this fantastic sport.
Because, when Sachin bats, all else…is irrelevant
cricinfo
Outside Edge! 
One of the best ever, screwed in no small measure by the sheer bad luck of having to play for a side that featured weak bowling attacks, and a fundamentally defensive mindset.
true that samir. anyone who’s watched india play through the late 90s knows how the game was half-lost when he got out.
first of all, I don’t think that the on-going Ashes series is mediocre…it may not be one of the best but we have seen some wonderful cricket off late!!
Sachin Tendulkar no doubt is considered one among the best!! A true veteran!!
shruti, i think the ashes this time will be held by the team making fewer mistakes rather than the team that plays high-caliber cricket. not the usual high quality we’ve come to expect messrs mcgrath, waugh etc.
He never had to face the weakest bowling and fielding attack of his time , the Indian bowling attack.
Ricky Ponting on the otherhand had the luxury of never facing the strongest bowling/fielding attack.
good point saswat. it’s a mistake to think we’re comparing apples to apples when we compare the likes of Ponting and Lara with Tendulkar. The expectations were just on a different level with Sachin