5 spinners who made Sachin Tendulkar struggle

There are no two ways about the fact that Sachin Tendulkar is arguably the greatest batsman to have played the game. However, just like other legends of the game, he too has had his own struggles during his playing career.Whether beset by injuries, lack of form or difficult conditions, the master batsman has faced them all and still managed to come out trumps. Other than these, Sachin has also been troubled by certain bowlers in his playing days, particularly a few spinners.While Tendulkar never allowed great spinners like Shane Warne to settle down, there were some who were able to do the exact opposite to the Indian legend. We look back at 5 spinners who made Sachin Tendulkar struggle:

#5 Graeme Swann (England)

Swann gets Tendulkars wicket at the Oval

One of Englands bestspinners of all time, Graeme Swann, enjoyed a good run in Test matches against the iconic Indian batsman. The off-spinner has dismissed Tendulkar 4 times in his career and on all 4 occasions, the batsman did not have too many runs against his name.

The first time Swann dismissed Sachin was during the memorable 2008 Test series between the two sides. In the 2^ndTest played at Mohali, the great batsman was out leg before wicket on 11 while attempting to paddle sweep a straight delivery from the England offie. During Englands 4-0 drubbing of India in 2011, Graeme Swann got Tendulkar out once again while playing the sweep as one ballooned in the air off the glove and was caught at a leg slip position.

In the forgettable home series for India, which they lost against the touring England team, Sachin Tendulkar struggled against both England spinners as they got him out two times each. Against Swann, the master batsman was all at sea as he was unable to read the flight of the ball during both his dismissals.

Graeme Swann turned out to be one of the few spinners who did not allow Sachin to settle against them.

#4 Monty Panesar (England)

Panesar celebrates his first Tendulkar dismissal

One of the most unlikely spinners to have made Sachin Tendulkar struggle is England’s Monty Panesar. The left-arm spinner of Indian descent may have had an on-and-off career, but the only consistent thing for him has been his ability to get the master batsman out. He has achieved the feat not once, but 4 times in his career.

Panesar’s first wicket in his Test career was that of Tendulkar and it came in his debut game at Nagpur in 2006. A tossed up delivery from the slow left-arm bowler struck Sachin right in front of the stumps and he was adjudged lbw. In the following year, Monty claimed the great one’s wicket again, this time in a Test match at Lord’s and yet again it was leg before wicket.

The highest point of the England spinner’s career came during the 2^nd Test of the 2012 India-England series played at Sachin’s home ground in Mumbai. The legendary Indian batsman was dismissed by Monty Panesar for 8 in both innings and the bowler foxed him on both occasions.

He may not get another opportunity to represent his country, but Panesar will surely be remembered for getting the better of Sachin Tendulkar on quite a few occasions.

#3 Nathan Lyon (Australia)

Tendulkar dismissed by Lyon in his last Test on Australian soil

During the last couple of years of one of the greatest cricketing careers ever, Sachin Tendulkar’s struggles with the turning ball had started become very prominent. In this period, the opposition spinners managed to get him out quite frequently and one of these was Australian off-spinner Nathan Lyon.

Lyon was the man who dismissed Sachin in his last innings on Australian soil in the 4^th Test of the 2011-12 Border-Gavaskar Trophy as he gloved one to short leg. In the 4-0 whitewash that India handed to Australia on home soil in 2013, Nathan Lyon was the only bright spot as he not only picked 15 wickets in 3 Tests but also dismissed the Master Blaster three times.

In the 1^st Test at Chennai, the offie bowled a ripper to Tendulkar, who was batting on 81 at the time, and the Mumbaikar was beaten all ends up as the ball crashed against the stumps. The 4^th and final Test played at Delhi saw Nathan Lyon get Sachin Tendulkar out in both innings for scores of 32 and 1 respectively; the legendary batsman missed the line of the ball and was lbw on both occasions.

This was another classic case of Tendulkar facing difficulties against a spinner.

#2 Saeed Ajmal (Pakistan)

Tendulkar dismissed by Ajmal in the 2011 Indo-Pak World Cup encounter

Before he was pulled up for a suspect action, Pakistan’s veteran off-spinner Saeed Ajmal had been causing a lot of trouble to many batsmen around the world. One of them was none other than the Indian ace Sachin Tendulkar. Although the two came face-to-face only twice that too in ODIs, their confrontations were mainly dominated by dangerous offie.

The first one came during the semi-final clash between India and Pakistan in the 2011 ICC World Cup. Tendulkar was crusing along as long as the Pakistani pacemen were bowling to him, but Ajmal’s introduction in the 11^th over saw the master survive two close calls – an lbw decision by the umpire which Sachin reviewed and a stumping chance. One could make out that Sachin was not at all comfortable against Ajmal and was struggling to read his deliveries. After scoring a streaky 85, the legend finally succumbed to the same bowler in the 37^th over.

The 2012 Asia Cup brought about the second and last encounter between Ajmal and Tendulkar. Once again, the great Indian batsman was able to play every bowler comfortably apart from the wily off-spinner. Soon after he reached his half-century, Sachin completely missed a doosra from Saeed Ajmal and was comprehensively bowled.

The Pakistani has often joked in the media about how he forced Sachin Tendulkar to retire. But it is true that one of the best batsmen of all time had his moments in the shade whenever he faced Ajmal.

#1 Raymond Price (Zimbabwe)

The Zimbabwean spinner troubled Sachin the most

Zimbabwe’s former left-arm spinner Raymond Price may have had an average career, but he will always be credited as the man who made Sachin Tendulkar struggle. Price played just 2 Tests against India and he got the wicket of Tendulkar in all 3 innings that he played. Not many other bowler can boast of a clean sheet against the Master Blaster.

It is not just about the fact that he dismissed the great man thrice but also about how Sachin struggled to pick his deliveries on a number of occasions and was also beaten a few times. Twice in 3 innings, Raymond Price trapped the Indian legend lbw in front of the stumps.

Although Sachin Tendulkar faced some trouble against left-arm spin throughout his career, none of the spinners from this category made him struggle more than Ray Price