Sachin Tendulkar Birthday: Who would have been ‘God of Cricket’ if he hadn’t played?

Sachin Tendulkar is widely regarded as the 'God of Cricket.' However, if he hadn't graced the sport, several other players who could have potentially earned the title.

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'God of Cricket': If not Sachin, then who?

Former Team India captain and legendary batter Sachin Tendulkar has turned 52 on Thursday, April 24. He has been often considered one of the greatest players to have graced the game of cricket.

Given his plethora of records, achievements and the sheer impact on a great game across generations, Sachin Tendulkar earned the sobriquet ‘God of Cricket’. He has been carrying this divine title throughout his illustrious career and post-retirement as well, symbolizing not only his unparalleled batting brilliance but also the hope, passion, and pride of a billion cricket fans in India. However, oftentimes we would think or imagine, if Sachin Tendulkar did not play cricket, who would have been the face of the sport or have shouldered the weight of a nation’s cricketing dreams.

Sachin Tendulkar certainly earned ‘God of Cricket’ in his own right, thanks to his mastery in batting, remarkable consistency, and ability to perform under pressure. However, there are 5 players who could have earned the divine title if Tendulkar did not exist.

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1. Brian Lara

Brian Lara was one of the greatest batters to have ever played the game of cricket. Former West Indies is known for his elegance his strokeplay, mastery, and flair, and had not Sachin Tendulkar existed, Lara’s breathtaking style of batting and record-breaking achievements, including first to score quadruple in Tests (400*) and first to score quintuple in first-class cricket (501*) might have earned the title ‘God of Cricket’. These two records of Brian Lara have remained unbroken for over two decades now. Almost throughout his career, Lara single-handedly carried the burden of West Indies’ batting line-up, emerging as a lone warrior in tough situations and raising the standard of batting with unflinching strokeplays and mental resilience, making him the deity of his own right.

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2. Rahul Dravid

Another player who could have been the ‘God of Cricket’ if Sachin Tendulkar did not play the sport was none other than Rahul Dravid. Dravid is known for playing marathon innings in Test cricket, coupled with his resilience and patience, that would often leave the bowlers frustrated. His extraordinary technique, calm attitude and unwavering discipline and determination have earned him a nickname ‘The Wall’. He had stood tall for Team India in tough situations and led the batting with resilience, grit, and valiance. He might not be as flamboyant as his Indian team Tendulkar, but his contribution to cricket is nothing short of divine, as he was the reliable backbone of India’s batting line-up for over a decade and half. Hadn’t Sachin Tendulkar existed, Rahul Dravid’s consistency and resilience would have put him on the highest pedestal of world cricket.

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3. Kumar Sangakkara

Kumar Sangakkara is one of the greatest cricketers Sri Lanka has ever produced. Had Sachin Tendulkar not played cricket, the ‘God of Cricket’ could have gone to the former Sri Lanka captain, given his graceful batting technique, and majestic strokeplay, and remarkable consistency across formats. Sangakkara was a master of both Test and ODI cricket, combining his intelligence with elegance and adaptability in different conditions and match situations made him one of the greats of modern cricket. Apart from his contribution with the bat, wherein he scored over 27,000 runs, Sangakkara was impressive behind the stumps, inflicting 678 dismissals across all formats of the game.

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4. Ricky Ponting

Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting was one of the most aggressive and ruthless cricketers in the world. His aggression and ruthless nature often reflected in his dominant batting performance in Test and ODI, and fierce leadership, making him one of the most successful captains in history. He led Australia to two ODI World Cups in 2003 and 2007 and emerged the side one of the dominant forces in world cricket. If Sachin Tendulkar did not exist, the ‘God of Cricket’ status could have probably gone to Ricky Ponting, given his success as a captain, batter, and match-winner who thrived under pressure. With over 27,000 international runs, Ponting established himself as one of the finest batters of his era and his insatiable hunger for runs and consistency could have seen him as divine of world cricket.

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5. Jacques Kallis

One of the players who could have deservingly earned the title of ‘God of Cricket’ if Sachin Tendulkar did not exist was South African all-rounder Jacques Kallis. Kallis has made a massive contribution to world cricket with his all-round performance across, but his unparalleled dominance with bat and ball set him apart. Kallis holds the record for being the only cricketer till to score over 10,000 runs and take over 200 wickets in Tests and ODIs, making him a complete cricketer. He was consistent, dependable and game changer, coupled with his calm demeanour and ability to deliver consistently in crunch situations made him the backbone of South African batting line-up. The world cricket without Tendulkar, Jacques Kallis’s all-round dominance could have easily earned him the divine title.