For over two decades, every time Sachin walked out to bat, streets emptied and televisions came to life. There was something spiritual about the way Sachin played. His straight drive wasn’t just a shot—it was art. His cover drives felt like verses of poetry. His match-winning knocks weren’t just numbers; they were festivals. With every four he hit, strangers hugged in joy. With every six, he made people believe in miracles.
In 1989, when a 16-year-old kid walked out to bat in Pakistan, the world saw talent—and India saw hope. A hope that, in the years to come, transformed into belief. A belief that India could dream big in cricket, for they now had a hero to take them far.
During that series, the legendary Pakistan captain Imran Khan told his vice-captain during a Test match: “I know that the new ball is due, but I am saving it for that ‘Chotu’ (Sachin) who is coming next.”
Pakistani bowlers came hard at the young boy. In the fourth test, Sachin got hit in the nose by a Waqar Younis bouncer. His nose bled, but when he was advised to retire hurt, he simply said, “Main khelega”—and went on to score 57 runs. It was a display of sheer courage and determination at such a young age. What cricketing legends and his contemporaries thought of him is what made him the greatest.
Wasim Akram, considered one of the greatest pacers of all time, witnessed that debut series of Sachin. He later said:”Cricketers like Sachin come once in a lifetime and I am privileged he played in my time.”
Shane Warne, arguably the greatest spinner in history and a victim of the famous “Desert Storm” innings, confessed: “I’ll be going to bed having nightmares of Sachin just running down the wicket and belting me back over the head for six. He was unstoppable. I don’t think anyone, apart from Don Bradman, is in the same class as Sachin Tendulkar. He is just an amazing player. Sachin Tendulkar is, in my time, the best player without doubt”
Even young opponents and teammates were in awe of him:
Andrew Flintoff: “When you bowl at him you are not just trying to get him out, you are trying to impress him.”
Hansie Cronje: “I had to remind Gary Kristen often that he was in the covers to field against Sachin and not to applaud him.”
Arjuna Ranatunga: “You get him out, and half the battle is won.”
Dennis Lillee: “If I’ve to bowl to Sachin, I’ll bowl with my helmet on. He hits the ball so hard.”
These quotes reflect the fear and respect Sachin inspired across the cricketing world.
His contemporaries held him in equally high regard:
Ricky Ponting: “Sachin is the most complete batsman I have ever seen.”
Sourav Ganguly: “His biggest strength as a batsman is his adaptability. And that is something really, really amazing; something so special.”
Rahul Dravid: “Playing in the same team as Sachin is a huge honour.”
Anil Kumble: “I am fortunate that I’ve to bowl at him only in the nets! He wasn’t just a legend—he was an inspiration.”
Virender Sehwag: “Today if I’m a cricketer it is because of Sachin Tendulkar. Else, I would never have picked up a bat. He’s the reason behind me playing cricket”
Virat Kohli: “I started playing cricket because of him.”
And perhaps, the best summary of what Sachin meant to the game came from Brian Lara, who was often compared to him: “In terms of stats, you’re going to have players with better numbers—you never know. Virat has been exceptional in one-day games. There are boxers who have better records than Muhammad Ali, but if you mention boxing, you have to mention Ali. Basketball? You have to mention Michael Jordan. And when you speak about cricket, you’ll speak about Tendulkar.”
And finally, the greatest validation came from the man himself—Sir Donald Bradman: “I saw him (Sachin) playing on television and was struck by his technique, so I asked my wife to come look at him. Now I never saw myself play, but I feel that this player is playing much the same as I used to play, and she looked at him on television and said yes, there is a similarity between the two…his compactness, technique, stroke production… it all seemed to gel”
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