It just seems like yesterday that I was watching a genius stroking away a fast bowler through mid on with an elegance matched by none. The ‘Master Blaster’, Sachin Tendulkar could put any bowler to shame with his artistry but he had something special in store for the Australian bowlers.
There have been numerous occasions when he smashed the Australian bowling to all parts of the ground in the 50 over format but, some of them remain a cut above the rest. They are simply knocks that can’t be forgotten by anyone who saw them as there was the signature of a genius written all over them.
Let’s have a look at five of the best ODI knocks played by Sachin against Australia
#5 91 (121) at Brisbane, 4 March 2008
It was a huge match for India as an elusive series win down under was just a win away after they had won the first final, courtesy a Tendulkar special. India batted first on a tricky Brisbane surface and Sachin was in red hot form after the first final.
India got off to a brilliant opening stand of 94 runs and Sachin carried on after Uthappa’s departure. Unlike the first final, this innings was a little subdued one and he had a strike rate of 75.20, when he got out on 91 at the team score of 205. His innings was the one that held the team’s performance together on a tricky surface and helped the team reach a competitive score of 258.
The Indian bowlers were up to the task in the second innings and managed to restrict the Australians to 249, to win the match and the hugely important series. It was one of the finest knocks played by Sachin in extreme pressure.
#4 143 (131) at Sharjah, 22 April 1998
India needed a win or a close loss against Australia to qualify for the finals of the Coca-Cola Cup in Sharjah, 1998. Australia batted first and scored a huge score of 284 courtesy a brilliant century from Michael Bevan.
India were in a desperate situation and Sachin came to their rescue. Sachin came out with an intent to pulverize the Australian bowling and nobody from the opposition could escape his ire. A sandstorm disrupted play for awhile and India needed 236 in 46 overs to qualify for the finals. The first ball after the break was sent out of the ground by the ‘Little Master’ and was a key moment in his famous innings, fondly known as the ’desert storm’. When Sachin got out on 143, which included 9 fours and 5 sixes after smashing every Australian bowler, India had already reached 242 and qualified for the finals.
Though India didn't win the match, the goal of qualifying for the finals was accomplished. It was a brilliant innings by the genius who single-handedly destroyed the mighty Australians.
#3 175 (141) at Hyderabad, 5 November 2009
This knock by Tendulkar was in a series decider against the mighty Australians and Australia chose to bat first after winning the toss. India had a nightmare in the bowling department as every Australian who came out to bat smashed the Indian bowling and Australia ended up scoring a mammoth score of 350.
India had all their hopes pinned on Sachin and he didn't disappoint. In what turned out to be one of the most ruthless, attacking and belligerent innings played by the legend, he blasted the Australian bowling to all parts of the ground. When he finally fell, he scored 175 off just 141 balls which included 19 fours and 3 sixes. At this point, India were just 19 runs short but the lower order crumbled like a pack of cards and India lost the match, but the match will be remembered for one of Sachin’s his finest ODI innings.
#2 117* (120) at Sydney, 2 March 2008
The first final of the Commonwealth Bank series in 2008 where India were facing Australia at Sydney. Australia batted first and scored 239 runs in their allotted quota of 50 overs and though India had a par score to chase, the pressure of the final added a considerable weight on the Indian batsmen.
The Australian bowling was top notch with the likes of Bracken, Lee and Johnson in their ranks and India had their work cut out. Sachin opened the batting for India along with Robin Uthappa and the openers provided India a solid start of 50 runs but then a minor collapse occurred and India were struggling at 87/3. Rohit Sharma joined Sachin in the middle and took the best seat in the house, to witness one of the best ODI innings played by the ‘Master Blaster’.
In his 117 run knock, he hit just ten fours and no sixes but still managed a strike rate of almost 100. Sachin remained not out and took India to the finish line and played a crucial role again in the second final to help India clinch the coveted CB series.
#1 134 (131) at Sharjah, 24 April 1998
In the final of the Coca-Cola cup in Sharjah, India had to chase 273 runs against a powerhouse Australian bowling line-up. In a final and that too in an era where 250 batting second was a daunting task, cricket fans were in for a surprise.
Sachin Tendulkar had other plans in store for the Australians, he opened the innings along with Sourav Ganguly and took on the Australian bowling like a possessed man. Shane Warne was struck to all ends of the ground and had figures of 10-0-61-0 after the match. Kasprowicz and Damien Fleming too faced the brunt of Sachin’s bat and when he got out after scoring 134 off just 131 balls at the team score of 248, India were in a comfortable position to win the match, which they eventually did.
It was an innings that will be remembered fondly whenever the name of the ‘Little Genius’ from India is taken and the match will remain in cricketing history as an epic story.
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