Sachin Tendulkar and Shane Warne both are the greatest of all time to grace the gentlemen's game. Sachin Tendulkar owns virtually every batting record in Tests and ODIs. In 200 Test matches, Sachin scored 15291 runs at an average of 53.78 with 51 tons, including his top score of 241 not out. In 463 ODIs he scored 18426 runs at 44.83 with 49 tons including the top score of 200 not out. Leg-spinner Shane Warne took 708 Test wickets in 145 matches, in addition to 293 ODI wickets in 194 matches.
Clash of the Legends
With over 1000 International wickets, Warne is regarded as one of the greatest spin bowlers of the era world has ever seen. On the other side, Sachin Tendulkar scored around 34,000 international runs, the only player in cricket history to achieve this feat. Sachin Tendulkar and Shane Warne met 29 times in International matches with warne dismissing the master blaster only 4 times. While Warne was an attacking spin bowler, Sachin Tendulkar was also an attacking batsman. Warne troubled batsmen's all over the world but it can justly be said that Tendulkar, who played brilliantly against spin bowlers, dominated Shane Warne. Here are a few instances when both the titans clashed.
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Chennai 1998
It was the first test match of the Border Gavaskar trophy at Chennai in March 1998. India was batting first and was bowled out for 257. Sachin was dismissed by Warne for just 4 runs. This was for the first time Warne got Sachin's wicket. When Australia came to bat they scored 328 runs, acquiring a handy lead of 71 runs and they must have seen a vision of a rare win on Indian soil. But Sachin had different ideas. In the second innings, Sachin flayed the Australian bowlers, including warne, to post an unbeaten 155 off 191 balls. Chasing 348 to win Australia were bowled out for 168 runs, leaving India with a famous 179-run victory to relish.
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Kanpur 1998
A month later, India and Australia clashed at Kanpur in the fourth match of the triangular series. Batting first Australia only managed to score 222 runs in 50 overs by losing 9 wickets. Shane Warne dismissed Sachin Tendulkar in that match but he did so after Sachin had helped himself to score 100 of 89 balls in a successful chase that culminated with India winning by six wickets.
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Adelaide 1999
The third time Warne dismissed Sachin in an international match was in a Test match held at Adelaide in December 1999. Batting first, Australia piled up a respectable 441, riding on tons scored by Steve Waugh and Ricky Ponting. Tendulkar, who captained India in the match, came to the crease with the scoreboard reading 90/3 when VVS Laxman was out. Dravid departed soon after to leave India tottering at 101/4. Tendulkar and Ganguly steadied the innings and just as India seemed to be breaking shackles, Warne had Tendulkar caught by Langer for 61, leaving India at 215/5. Further fall of regular wickets witnessed India collapsing to 285 all out. In the second knock, Australia declared their second innings closed at 239/8, setting India a target of 396 to win. As things transpired, India slumped to a 285-run defeat with skipper Tendulkar dismissed for a duck by McGrath.
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Melbourne 1999
In the second test match of the series, once again Australia batted first and put a score of 405 on the board in the first innings. However, India was all out for 268 conceding a first-innings lead of 137 to the Australians. Tendulkar's contribution was 116 off 191 balls. Australia scored 208/5 in their second innings setting a target of 376. It was the same old story for India which collapsed to become 195 all out. Tendulkar fell lbw to Warne for 52 and was named Man of the Match, in a game that India lost by 180 runs.
Gosh, these battles were something else. The magical Tendulkar versus the wizard Warne. Both were the legends of the game.
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