Sachin Tendulkar birthday: Shoaib Akhtar to Shane Warne - Top 5 iconic rivalries of batting legend

Sachin Tendulkar, celebrating his 52nd birthday, had iconic rivalries with some of cricket's greatest bowlers. From Shoaib Akhtar's raw pace to Shane Warne's spin, these battles defined an era.

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Sachin Tendulkar's iconic rivalries

Former India captain and batting Sachin Tendulkar will turn 52 on Thursday, April 24. He was one of the greatest batters in the history of the game, with a plethora of records under his belt, which remains unbroken or is being shattered.

Career spanning 24 years, Sachin Tendulkar etched his name with some memorable performances, match-winning knocks, and unparalleled consistency across formats, earning him the titles ‘God of Cricket’ and Master Blaster. During his illustrious career, Tendulkar had fiercest rivalries with some of the greatest bowlers of his time, turning every face-off into a spectacle for fans around the world.

Let’s take a look at Sachin Tendulkar’s iconic rivalries in his illustrious career.

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1. Shoaib Akhtar

Sachin Tendulkar’s rivalry with Shoaib Akhtar was one of the greatest in the history of cricket. Their rivalries had often grabbed the attention of the fans and crickets during the clashes between India and Pakistan. Akhtar, who is called ‘Rawalpindi Express’ due to his sheer pace, often charged in with fire in his eyes to dismiss Tendulkar. However, the batting legend relied on his timing and precision, which proved to be the perfect counter to Akhtar’s raw pace. One of the most iconic moments was in the 2003 ODI World Cup, where Sachin Tendulkar went for an upper-cut shot over third-man for six against Shoaib Akhtar’s sheer, which etched in the memories of every cricket fan in India.

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2. Glenn McGrath

Glenn McGrath was one of the formidable rivals of Sachin Tendulkar. Their rivalries had often defined high-stakes in the clash between India and Pakistan. Tendulkar was dismissed by McGrath 13 times in his career, six in Tests and on seven occasions in ODIs. The rivalry between the two was also fierce, making it one of the fascinating battles between master technician and a consistent line and length bowler. One of the fiery rivalries between Tendulkar and McGrath took place in the 2000 Champions Trophy quarterfinal in Nairobi, when the Master Blaster strategically played mind games with some verbal exchanges with Australian pacer in order to disrupt the rhythm of his bowling.

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3. Allan Donald

The rivalry between Sachin Tendulkar and Allan Donald was often described as class aggression, which would often grab the headlines during the India and South Africa’s matches in 1990s and 2002. Donald, often called ‘White Lighting’, was always in relentless pursuit of the world’s best batters with his raw pace and aggression. Tendulkar would always rely on his technique, precision, and timing. During the Cape Town Test 1996-97 South Africa series, Allan Donald was trying to get rid of Sachin Tendulkar by delivering bouncers and short-pitched, but the Master Blaster stood his ground and grit and went on to score match-saving 169 amid India’s batting collapse.

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4. Shane Warne

If there is one rivalry that was made in heaven, it would certainly be between Sachin Tendulkar and Shane Warne. Their rivalry is one of the most celebrated in the history of cricket. Warne and Tendulkar were involved in some of the fiercest battles, especially during the 1990s and 2000s. One of the most iconic moments was in the 1998 Coca Cola Cup semifinal between India and Australia, where Tendulkar made absolutely mockery of Warne’s spin bowling with his aggressive style of batting. Warne’s infamous delivery to Sachin in that match in Sharjah was tonked for a six to complete the century.

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5. Muttiah Muralitharan

Sachin Tendulkar had intense battles with Sri Lanka’s spin bowling Muthiah Muralitharan. Tendulkar was challenged by Muralitharan’s spin bowling in challenging conditions, especially on turning tracks in the sub-continent, where the Sri Lankan spinner was lethal at best. Muralitharan’s spin bowling had often tested the patience, footwork, and technique of Sachin Tendulkar. However, Master Blaster had often responded with elegant strokeplay and the Ahmedabad Test of the 2009 series, where Sachin Tendulkar showcased his dominance over Muthiah Muralitharan’s spin bowling while scoring an unbeaten 100.