Man, talk about dropping a bombshell right after you call it a career! Former India captain Ajinkya Rahane, fresh off announcing his retirement from all forms of cricket, didn’t waste any time naming his pick for the greatest Indian cricketer of all time. And guess what? He looked right past legends MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli, settling on none other than Sachin Tendulkar. Yeah, you heard that right, The Little Master still reigns supreme in Rahane’s book.
Why The Little Master Still Reigns Supreme
Rahane made this huge call during an episode of “Stick to Cricket,” acknowledging it was “very hard to take one name.” But after a beat, he was clear: “probably Sachin Tendulkar. I think all the eras.” And honestly, can you even argue with that? Seriously, think about this: Tendulkar’s run in the game stretched across a mind-boggling 24 years, from November 15, 1989, right up to November 16, 2013! That’s a career longer than some players’ entire lives. In that unreal span, he suited up for India in a staggering 664 international matches, including 200 Tests, 463 ODIs, and even one T20I. This batting titan didn’t just play; he absolutely dominated, racking up 15,921 runs in Tests and another unbelievable 18,426 in ODIs. He sits atop the mountain as the highest run-scorer in the history of *both* Test and ODI cricket. Get this: he’s the *only* player ever to hit 200 Test matches, and he still holds the record for the most ODI appearances. And you can’t forget, he was the heart and soul, the central figure, when India finally hoisted that 2011 ICC Men’s ODI World Cup trophy. That’s a career that already had everything, and then he added the ultimate team prize. It’s a legacy that just screams GOAT.
Rahane’s Own Legacy: From Teammate to Captain
It’s even more impactful coming from Rahane, a guy who debuted in a T20I against England back on August 31, 2011, and went on to represent India across all three formats until 2023. He knows a thing or two about playing with legends, as he actually got to share a dressing room with Tendulkar! They played one Test together for India, were teammates at Mumbai Indians during the 2009 IPL season, and even represented Mumbai together in domestic cricket. Over his own 12-plus year international career, Rahane played most of his games under the captaincy of both MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli. He was a crucial part of India’s historic Test series win in Australia in 2018-19, and then he famously captained the team to *another* memorable series victory down under in 2020-21. Rahane even joined an exclusive club of Indian cricketers who captained the national side in all three formats, capping off his career with Test centuries in Australia, England, and New Zealand. The guy truly saw it all and played with the best.
So, when Ajinkya Rahane, a player who battled alongside Dhoni and Kohli for years, still points to Sachin Tendulkar as the greatest ever, it just reinforces what many of us already knew. Tendulkar’s career was simply on another level, a standard that might never be matched. Rahane’s statement is a powerful reminder of an unparalleled legend.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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