On this day in 2009, legendary Indian batter Sachin Tendulkar became the first-ever batter to cross the 30,000-run mark in international cricket.
Tendulkar became the only player to have reached this landmark during his side’s first Test against Sri Lanka at Ahmedabad. The series consisted of three Test matches. In the match, Sachin was dismissed for four runs in the first innings by Chanaka Welegedara. However, the Little Master bounced back to score a 100* off 211 balls with 11 fours.
The match ended in a draw.
By the time Sachin ended his career, he had scored 34,357 runs in 664 international appearances across 782 innings at an average of 48.52. He had struck 100 centuries (only batter to do so) and 164 fifties as well.
His total of 34,357 international runs is a mountain that none of the fellow teammates/players of his time and the current player has climbed.
Players of his era like Sri Lanka’s Kumar Sangakara (28,016), Australian great Ricky Ponting (27,483), Sri Lankan batter Mahela Jayawardene (25,957) and South African all-rounder Jacques Kallis (25,534) retired from the sport without touching the 30,000 run mark.
Some of his teammates like Rahul Dravid (24,208), former skipper Sourav Ganguly (18575), MS Dhoni (17,266) and Virender Sehwag (17,253) fell way too short of the mark Sachin achieved on this day in 2009.
Currently, it is only India’s star batter Virat Kohli, often compared to Tendulkar, who is chasing his batting idol. He has 24,426 international runs in 479 matches at an average of 53.92, with 71 centuries and 129 fifties. (ANI)
