Muttiah Muralitharan (800), Shane Warne (792), Jimmy Anderson* (688), Anil Kumble (619), Stuart Broad* (600), Glenn Mcgrath (563), and Courtney Walsh (519) have taken the most wickets in Test cricket.
Today, we go in-depth and discuss the stats and characteristics of the highest wicket-takers in Test cricket. Here is the comprehensive list of the Top 26 cricketers with the most wickets in Test cricket.
26 bowlers have taken 350 or more wickets in Test cricket. From this, 17 bowlers have taken 400+ wickets, while only 7 have scaled the 500+ mountain.
18 fast bowlers, six off-spinners, and two leg-spinners make up the list of 26 highest wicket-takers in Test history. 23 of them are right-arm bowlers while three are left-arm bowlers.
Australia and India (4)have produced the most bowlers with 350+ Test wickets, while Sri Lanka, South Africa, West Indies, England, and New Zealand (3) are tied for second place.
Jimmy Anderson (688), Stuart Broad (589), Nathan Lyon (496), and Ravichandran Ashwin (474) are the only active cricketers on this list.
*still playing
Test Cricket Bowling Records: Top 25 Highest Wicket-Takers in Test Cricket History
Test cricket is one of the oldest and most revered forms of the game.
Through its long and storied history, some truly great bowlers have emerged, with many of them going on to become the greatest wicket-takers in Test cricket history. In this article, we’ll look at a list of the highest wicket-takers in Test cricket history, and what makes them among the best bowlers that ever played the game.
Let’s take a look.
1. Muttiah Muralitharan (Sri Lanka) – 800 Test Wickets
Years Played: 1992-2010
Test Matches Played: 133
Average: 22.72, Strike Rate: 55.04
5-fer/10-fer: 67/22
Muttiah Muralitharan, a Sri Lanka offspinner, is the leading wicket-taker in Test cricket. He achieved these feats throughout his career between 1992 and 2010 — his bowling average was a spectacular 22.72. With an unusual action, fear in his eyes, and skill on display, Murali regularly blew the opposition away.
James Anderson is probably the golden standard of swing bowling in Test cricket. He started playing bowling in 2003 and is still going strong. His longevity is one to admire, and his consistency one to emulate. We can just hope this journey continues for a few more Tests.
Anil Kumble was known for his accurate leg-spin skills. Fortitude and desire were the main elements in Kumble’s game. ‘Jumbo’ as he was referred to, was a mainstay for Indian cricket for more than a decade. He will always be remembered for the 10-fer vs Pakistan at the Feroz Shah Kotla.
Since starting his Test match career in 2007, England’s Stuart Broad has been regarded as a favorite by many.With Jimmy Anderson, Broad formed a formidable partnership for years to come. When he is in form, Broad’s spells are a joy to witness.
Australian quick bowler Glenn McGrath has become a cult figure with his length and his line. An iconic cricketer, he created a destructive combination with Shane Warne during Australia’s golden generation.
7. Courtney Walsh (West Indies) – 519 Test Wickets
Years Played: 1984-2001
Test Matches Played: 132
Average: 24.44, Strike Rate: 57.84
5-fer/10-fer: 22/3
Courtney Walsh, a West Indian Indian fast bowler, is well known for his longevity, speed, and precision. His fast-bowling relationship with Curtly Ambrose was an aggressive and intimidating experience.
In 2011 Nathan Lyon made his first appearance as Australia’s leading spin bowler. Lyon is known for his enduring tenacity and has been one of the iconic off-spinners of his generation.
9. Ravichandran Ashwin (India) – 474* Test Wickets
Years Played: 2011-
Test Matches Played: 92*
Average: 23.93, Strike Rate: 51.84
5-fer/10-fer: 32/7
Ravichandran Ashwin is the most successful spin-bowling all-rounder India has ever produced. His range of spinning deliveries has consistently earned him wickets and is one of the great thinkers of the game. In addition to his impressive bowling stats, Ashwin also boasts 5 Test centuries.
Dale Steyn was one of the most feared fast bowlers in Test cricket for over a decade, and his stats prove it. With an impressive strike rate of 42.38, Steyn consistently took wickets throughout his career to become South Africa’s most successful bowler since Allan Donald and Shaun Pollock. His ability to swing the ball both ways made him as dangerous as any bowler in the world.
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11. Kapil Dev (India) – 434 Test Wickets
Years Played: 1978–1994
Test Matches Played: 131
Average: 29.64, Strike Rate: 63.91
5-fer/10-fer: 23/2
Kapil Dev is considered by many to be India’s greatest-ever cricketer. Although not a traditionally fast bowler like Dale Steyn or Malcolm Marshall, Kapil had a great ability to extract bounce from any pitch and was capable of bowling long spells of accuracy with great success – something that often goes unrecognized.
Rangana Herath is one of the most successful spin bowlers to ever play Test cricket and was a mainstay in the Sri Lankan team since his debut in 1999. His ability to extract turn from even the driest of pitches made him one of the toughest bowlers to face, as did his commitment to bowling accurate line and length for long periods of time. In addition, Herath was also capable of picking up wickets in quick succession, making him a dangerous bowler in the fourth innings.
13. Sir Richard Hadlee (New Zealand) – 431 Test Wickets
Years Played: 1973–1990
Test Matches Played: 86
Average: 22.29, Strike Rate: 50.85
5-fer/10-fer: 36/9
Sir Richard Hadlee is one of the greatest all-rounders to grace the cricket field and was a regular in the New Zealand Test team from 1973 until 1990. A genuine fast bowler with great swing and accuracy, Sir Richard picked up 431 wickets over his career at an outstanding average of 22 – making him one of the most successful bowlers in Test cricket history.
14. Shaun Pollock (South Africa) – 421 Test Wickets
Years Played: 1995–2008
Test Matches Played: 108
Average: 23.11, Strike Rate: 57.84
5-fer/10-fer: 16/1
In spite of his relative lack of pace, Pollock was able to compensate with impeccable accuracy and line & length, and the result was 421 Test wickets at an impressive average of 23. His ability to swing the ball both ways, combined with his knack for picking up wickets in clusters, saw him play a crucial role in South Africa’s rise as a cricketing superpower.
Harbhajan Singh is one of India’s most famous spinners and was central to India’s famous series win over Australia on home soil in 2001. With 417 Test wickets under his belt and an economy rate of just under three runs per over, Harbhajan consistently proved himself to be a valuable asset for the Indian team. His ability to take wickets in clusters, combined with his sharp off-breaks and top spinners, made him one of the most successful spinners in Indian Test cricket history.
Wasim Akram is widely regarded as one of the greatest fast bowlers ever to have graced a cricket field and it is no surprise that he is also amongst the highest wicket-takers in Test cricket history with 414 scalps throughout his illustrious career. His ability to swing the ball both ways, combined with his nagging accuracy and excellent control made him a nightmare for batsmen all over the world. He is certainly a legend of the game.
18. Makhaya Ntini (South Africa) – 390 Test Wickets
Years Played: 1998–2009
Test Matches Played: 101
Average: 28.82, Strike Rate: 53.42
5-fer/10-fer: 18/4
Makhaya Ntini was one of South Africa’s most successful bowlers in Test cricket and a mainstay in the Proteas team since his debut in 1998. With Pollock, Kallis, Donald, and later Steyn, Morkel, Rabada, Ngidi, & Nortje, his influence on South Africa’s pace bowling cannot be understated.
Sir Ian Botham is undoubtedly one of the greatest all-rounders ever to play cricket. Along with Kapil Dev, Imran Khan, & Sir Richard Hadlee, these four formed the golden generation of all-rounders.
Apart from Malcolm Marshall & Dale Steyn, Waqar Younis is the other fast bowler with a bowling strike rate in the low forties. With the ability to break stumps at will and bowl deadly yorkers, he formed the perfect foil with Wasim Akram.
Tim Southee is one of New Zealand’s most successful bowlers in Test cricket and has been a mainstay in the Black Caps team since his debut in 2008. He is best known for his ability to swing the ball both ways, combined with his accurate line & length and good control. After 2014, it was the partnership of Southee-Boult that would plant the seeds for the 2021 World Test Championship victory.
Imran Khan is one of the greatest icons of Pakistan cricket. He holds the distinction of leading a nation to a World Cup victory…as well as leading a nation as a Prime Minister.
24. Daniel Vettori (New Zealand) – 362 Test Wickets
Years Played: 1997–2014
Test Matches Played: 113
Average: 34.36, Strike Rate: 79.59
5-fer/10-fer: 20/3
Daniel Vettori was New Zealand’s sole spin sensation in a land of fast bowlers, swing kings, and dibbly-dobbler specialists. Although his strike rate is a bit on the high side, it was the economy of 2.59 that helped the Kiwis to maintain control.
The final bowler on the 350+ Test wicket list is none other than Chaminda Vaas. Central to Sri Lanka’s rise into the upper echelons of Test cricket, Vaas became their most successful fast bowler.
The list of the highest wicket-takers in Test cricket history is a testament to the skill, determination, and excellence that each of these great players has shown throughout their careers.
Each bowler has left an indelible mark on the game, making them all true legends of the sport.
These bowlers have set a high standard for future generations to strive for and will undoubtedly be remembered as some of the greatest Test cricketers ever.
Who is your all-time favorite bowler in Test cricket?
Frequently Asked Questions
Who has taken the most wickets in Test cricket?
Muttiah Muralitharan has taken the most wickets in Test cricket (800).
Can Jimmy Anderson take 700 Test wickets?
Yes, Jimmy Anderson is currently on 685 wickets and will play the 5-match Ashes series against England at home. He may not play all the matches but should still get to the coveted 700-wicket mark.
Who has 4000 runs and 400 wickets in Test matches?
Kapil Dev is the only Indian player with 4000 Test runs and 400 Test wickets in Test history.
How many cricketers have taken 300 wickets or more in Test cricket?
37 bowlers have taken 300 or more wickets in Test cricket. From this, 26 have gone on to take 350 wickets, 17 have taken 400 wickets, and only 7 bowlers have taken 500+ Test wickets.
Who is the leading wicket-taker in Test for England?
Jimmy Anderson is the leader wicket-taker for England in Test cricket with 685 wickets to his name.
What are the names of Major League Cricket teams? Who are the owners of MLC teams in the USA? Which IPL teams are the Major League Cricket teams affiliated with?
We will answer all of these burning questions for you today.
Los Angeles Knight Riders, MI New York, San Francisco Unicorns, Seattle Orcas, Texas Super Kings, and Washington Freedom are the six teams that will compete in the three-week Major League Cricket (MLC) T20 tournament to be held in Dallas, Texas, USA in July 2023.
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Key Takeaways
The average age of Major League Cricket players is 29.
From the 54 domestic players in the MLC draft, 19 players were from Indian origin (2 born in USA, 17 born in India), 12 are from South Africa, 11 from Pakistan, 3 Australia, 3 Sri Lanka, 2 USA, 2 West Indies, 1 New Zealand, 1 England, and 1 UAE.
4 Major League Cricket teams are affiliated with IPL teams (LA Knight Riders, MI New York, Seattle Orcas (with Delhi capitals), and Texas Super Kings.
2 Major League Cricket teams are partnered with Australian domestic sides (San Francisco Unicorns – with Cricket Victoria, Washington DC Freedom – with New South Wales)
List of Major League Cricket Teams
1. Los Angeles Knight Riders
Home Ground: Orange County Stadium (planning stage)
IPL Franchise: Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR)
Owners: Knight Riders Group
LA Knight Riders Complete Squad
Unmukt Chand, Ali Sheikh, Nitish Kumar, Corne Dry, Jaskaran Malhotra, Saif Badar, Shadley Van Schalkwyk, Ali Khan, Bhaskar Yadram
LA Knight Riders Overseas Players
Jason Roy (England), Lockie Ferguson, Martin Guptill (New Zealand), Andre Russell, Sunil Narine (West Indies), Rilee Rossouw (South Africa), Adam Zampa (Australia)
Wildcard: Gajanand Singh
Coaches
Coaches: Phil Simmons (Head Coach), Ryan Ten Doeschate (Assistant Coach), Bharat Arun (Bowling Coach)
Support Staff: Sagar VM (Strength & Conditioning), Prasanth Panchada (Physio), Ruel Rigsby (Physio), AR Srikkanth (Analyst), Wayne Bentley (Team Manager)
2. MI New York
Home Ground: New York Oval – New York, Marine Park – Brooklyn, Spring Creek Park – Queens, Aqueduct Racetrack – Queens (shortlisted – planning stage)
Kieron Pollard, Nicholas Pooran (West Indies), Rashid Khan (Afghanistan), Tim David, Jason Behrendorff (Australia), Dewald Brevis, Kagiso Rabada (South Africa), David Wiese (Namibia), Trent Boult (New Zealand)
Coaches
Coaches: Robin Peterson (Head Coach), Lasith Malinga (Bowling Coach), James Pamment (Fielding Coach), J Arun Kumar (Batting Coach)
Support Staff: Pratik Kadam (Strength & Conditioning Coach), Amit Shah (Sports Massage Therapist), Murtaza Hussain (Assistant Fielding Coach), Jason Pilgrim (Physiotherapist), Rushi Shahiwala (Assistant Physiotherapist), L Varun (Data Performance Manager)
3. San Francisco Unicorns
Home Ground: Santa Clara County Fairgrounds Stadium – San Jose, California (planning stage)
IPL Franchise: None (affilated with Cricket Victoria, Australia)
Owners: Anand Rajaraman, Venky Harinarayan
SF Unicorns Complete Unicorns Squad
Corey Anderson, Liam Plunkett, Tajinder Singh, Chaitanya Bishnoi, Brody Couch, David White, Smit Patel, Sanjay Krishnmurthi, Carmi Le Roux
Wildcard: Amila Aponso
SF Unicorns Overseas Players
Aaron Finch*, Marcus Stoinis, Matthew Wade, Mackenzie Harvey (Australia), Lungi Ngidi (South Africa), Qais Ahmad (Afghanistan), Finn Allen (New Zealand), Haris Rauf, Shadab Khan (Pakistan)
Shane Watson (Coach)
*captain
4. Seattle Orcas
Home Ground: Marymoor Park – Redmond, Washington (planning stage)
Devon Conway, Mitchell Santner (New Zealand), Daniel Sams (Australia), Faf du Plessis*, David Miller, Gerald Coetzee (South Africa), Dwayne Bravo (West Indies), Ambati Rayudu (India)
Texas Super Kings Coaches
Coaches: Stephen Fleming (Head Coach), Eric Simons (Assistant Coach), Albie Morkel (Assistant Coach), Russell Radhakrishnan (Team Manager)
Support Staff: Gregory King (Strength & Conditioning), Lakshmi Narayanan (High Performance Analyst), Tommy Simsek (Physiotherapist)
6. Washington (DC) Freedom
Home Ground: George Mason University
IPL Franchise: None (Affiliated with Cricket New South Wales, Australia)
Moises Henriques*, Ben Dwarshuis, Tanveer Sangha (Australia), Anrich Nortje, Marco Jansen (South Africa), Wanindu Hasaranga (Sri Lanka), Glenn Phillips, Adam Milne (New Zealand)
*captain
Bowling Coach: Dale Steyn
For other articles for cricket in America and Major League Cricket (MLC), check out the following:
Major League Cricket – MLC 2023 Draft: List of Players (As It Happened)
The nine rounds of draft picks are summarized below. Since most players are from foreign origin or have changed nationalities late in their careers, the country of origin and age is added to the name.
Note, a tenth ‘Wildcard’ pick will be determined from the 2023 Minor League Cricket season.
MLC Draft Round 1 ($75,000)
Player
Franchise
Minor League Team
Country
Age
Harmeet Singh
Seattle Orcas
Seattle Thunderbolts
India
30
Andries Gous
Washington Freedom
Seattle Thunderbolts
South Africa
29
Steven Taylor
MI New York
Atlanta Fire
USA
29
Corey Anderson
San Francisco Unicorns
Irving Mustangs
New Zealand
32
Ali Khan
Los Angeles Knight Riders
Houston Hurricanes
Pakistan
32
Rusty Theron
Texas Super Kings
East Bay Blazers
South Africa
37
MLC Draft Round 2 ($65,000)
Player
Franchise
Minor League Team
Country
Age
Calvin Savage
Texas Super Kings
Chicago Tigers
South Africa
30
Unmukt Chand
Los Angeles Knight Riders
Silicon Valley Strikers
India
29
Liam Plunkett
San Francisco Unicorns
The Philadelphians
England
37
Hammad Azam
MI New York
Golden State Grizzlies
Pakistan
32
Mukhtar Ahmed
Washington Freedom
Atlanta Fire
Pakistan
30
Shehan Jayasuriya
Seattle Orcas
Silicon Valley Strikers
Sri Lanka
31
MLC Draft Round 3 ($50,000)
Player
Franchise
Minor League Team
Country
Age
Shubham Ranjane
Seattle Orcas
Seattle Thunderbolts
India
28
Obus Pienaar
Washington Freedom
Morrisville Raptors
South Africa
33
Ehsan Adil
MI New York
Golden State Grizzlies
Pakistan
30
Tajinder Singh
San Francisco Unicorns
Kingsmen
India
30
Jaskaran Malhotra
Los Angeles Knight Riders
Morrisville Raptors
India
33
Lahiru Milantha
Texas Super Kings
Morrisville Raptors
Sri Lanka
28
MLC Draft Round 4 ($40,000)
Player
Franchise
Minor League Team
Country
Age
Milind Kumar
Texas Super Kings
The Philadelphians
India
32
Nitish Kumar
Los Angeles Knight Riders
Lone Star Athletics
India
28
Chaitanya Bishnoi
San Francisco Unicorns
Kingsmen
India
28
Nosthush Kenjige
MI New York
Irving Mustangs
India (born in USA, family from India)
32
Saurabh Netravalkar
Washington Freedom
Silicon Valley Strikers
India
31
Cameron Gannon
Seattle Orcas
–
Australia
34
MLC Draft Round 5 ($35,000)
Player
Franchise
Minor League Team
Country
Age
Aaron Jones
Seattle Orcas
Atlanta Fire
USA
28
Saad Ali
Washington Freedom
Michigan Cricket Stars
Pakistan
29
Monank Patel
MI New York
Empire State Titans
India
29
Carmi Le Roux
San Francisco Unicorns
East Bay Blazers
South Africa
29
Corne Dry
Los Angeles Knight Riders
Atlanta Fire
South Africa
30
Sami Aslam
Texas Super Kings
Golden State Grizzlies
Pakistan
27
MLC Draft Round 6 ($25,000)
Player
Franchise
Minor League Team
Country
Age
Cameron Stevenson
Texas Super Kings
–
Australia
30
Ali Sheikh
Los Angeles Knight Riders
Irving Mustangs
USA (born in Doha)
20
Brody Couch
San Francisco Unicorns
Atlanta Fire
Australia
23
Sarbjeet Singh Ladda
MI New York
DC Hawks
India
36
Dane Piedt
Washington Freedom
Morrisville Raptors
South Africa
33
Nauman Anwar
Seattle Orcas
Michigan Cricket Stars
Pakistan
27
MLC Draft Round 7 ($15,000)
Player
Franchise
Minor League Team
Country
Age
Phani Simhadri
Seattle Orcas
Seattle Thunderbolts
India
31
Sujith Gowda
Washington Freedom
Irving Mustangs
India
26
Shayan Jahangir
MI New York
Lone Star Athletics
Pakistan
31
David White
San Francisco Unicorns
East Bay Blazers
South Africa
31
Saif Badar
Los Angeles Knight Riders
Atlanta Fire
Pakistan
24
Cody Chetty
Texas Super Kings
Hollywood Master Blasters
South Africa
31
MLC Draft Round 8 ($10,000)
Player
Franchise
Minor League Team
Country
Age
Zia Shahzad
Texas Super Kings
Atlanta Fire
Pakistan
26
Shadley Van Schalkwyk
Los Angeles Knight Riders
Seattle Thunderbolts
South Africa
34
Smit Patel
San Francisco Unicorns
Manhattan Yorkers
India
29
Usman Rafiq*
MI New York
Houston Hurricanes
Pakistan
34
Kyle Phillip
MI New York
Atlanta Lightning
West Indies (Trinidad)
26
Justin Dill
Washington Freedom
St. Louis Americans
South Africa
28
Angelo Perera
Seattle Orcas
East Bay Blazers
Sri Lanka
33
*Usman Rafiq no longer shows up on MLC website but Kyle Phillip does (maybe Phillip is a replacement for Rafiq).
MLC Draft Round 9 ($2,500)
Player
Franchise
Minor League Team
Country
Age
Matthew Tromp
Seattle Orcas
Houston Hurricanes
South Africa
18
Akhilesh Bodugum
Washington Freedom
Atlanta Fire
India
22
Saideep Ganesh
MI New York
Golden State Grizzlies
India
22
Sanjay Krishnamurthi
San Francisco Unicorns
East Bay Blazers
India
19
Bhaskar Yadram
Los Angeles Knight Riders
Manhattan Yorkers
West Indies (Guyana)
23
Saiteja Mukkamalla
Texas Super Kings
New Jersey Stallions
USA (Indian origin)
18
Frequently Asked Questions – Major League Cricket Teams
How many teams will play in Major League Cricket 2023?
Six teams will play in Major League Cricket 2023 – Los Angeles Knight Riders, MI New York, San Francisco Unicorns, Seattle Orcas, Texas Super Kings, and Washington (DC) Freedom.
Where will Major League Cricket 2023 be held?
Major League Cricket 2023 will be held in Grand Prairie, Texas (near Dallas).
When will Major League Cricket 2023 be held?
Major League Cricket 2023 will be held between July 13-July 30th.
Today we will discuss the salary of a Major League Cricket player in the USA.
When it comes to professional sports in America, we often think of baseball, basketball, and football as the top dogs.
But there’s a new player in town that’s been gaining international attention: Cricket. Major League Cricket has been making waves in the sports world, especially with the growing popularity of T20 cricket. However, there’s one question on every cricket fan’s mind: just how much do these players make?
MLC Cricketer Salary – By the Numbers
The average salary of a Major League Cricket player (MLC) is $60,526 (maximum 19 players in squad with a purse of $1.15 million).
The average salary for a domestic Major League cricketer is $39,375 ($315,000 purse for a total of 8 domestic players). The average salary for an overseas MLC cricketer is $92,200 ($830,000 for nine overseas slots).
About $320,000 from the $1.15 million will be spent on the ten domestic players. Hence, $830,000 is remaining in the purse of each team to sign the nine overseas players. Note, that this amount may be skewed. According to a Daily Mail report, Jason Roy has been offered 300,000 pounds ($372,000) on a 2-year contract ($186,000/year). This means that LA Knight Riders, who signed Jason Roy, will be left with about $644,000 for their remaining 8 overseas signing (for an average of $80,500 per overseas player).
Major League Cricket (MLC) – How Much Was Each Draft Pick?
The Major League Cricket (MLC) draft was held earlier this year in the NASA Space Center in Houston.
The draft picks ranged from $10,000 (8th round pick) to $75,000 (1st round pick). Rookies were drafted in the 9th round (reportedly around $2,500) and an additional tenth player will be picked for each team following the Minor League Cricket (MiLC) season preceding the MLC.
Draft Pick
Salary Amount
Round 1
$75,000
Round 2
$65,000
Round 3
$50,000
Round 4
$40,000
Round 5
$35,000
Round 6
$25,000
Round 7
$15,000
Round 8
$10,000
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MLC 2023 Draft Picks – Salary of Major League Cricket Player
1. First Round Draft Pick ($75,000)
Harmeet Singh (Seattle Orcas), Andries Gous (Washington Freedom), Steven Taylor (MI New York), Corey Anderson (San Francisco Unicorns), Ali Khan (Los Angeles Knight Riders), Rusty Theron (Texas Super Kings)
2. Second Round Draft Pick ($65,000)
Shehan Jayasuriya (Seattle Orcas), Mukhtar Ahmed (Washington Freedom), Hammad Azam (MI New York), Liam Plunkett (San Francisco Unicorns), Unmukt Chand (Los Angeles Knight Riders), Calvin Salvage (Texas Super Kings)
3. Third Round Draft Pick ($50,000)
Shubham Ranjane (Seattle Orcas), Obus Pienaar (Washington Freedom), Ehsan Adil (MI New York), Tajinder Singh (San Francisco Unicorns), Jaskaran Malhotra (Los Angeles Knight Riders), Lahiru Milantha (Texas Super Kings)
4. Fourth Round Draft Pick ($40,000)
Cameron Gannon (Seattle Orcas), Saurabh Netravalkar (Washington Freedom), Nosthush Kenjige (MI New York), Chaitanya Bishnoi (San Francisco Unicorns), Nitish Kumar (Los Angeles Knight Riders), Milind Kumar (Texas Super Kings)
5. Fifth Round Draft Pick ($35,000)
Aaron Jones (Seattle Orcas), Saad Ali (Washington Freedom), Monank Patel (MI New York), Carmi Le Roux (San Francisco Unicorns), Corne Dry (Los Angeles Knight Riders), Sami Aslam (Texas Super Kings)
6. Sixth Round Draft Pick ($25,000)
Nauman Anwar (Seattle Orcas), Dane Piedt (Washington Freedom), Sarbjeet Singh Ladda (MI New York), Brody Couch (San Francisco Unicorns), Ali Sheikh (Los Angeles Knight Riders), Cameron Stevenson (Texas Super Kings)
7. Seventh Round Draft Pick ($15,000)
Phani Simhadri (Seattle Orcas), Sujith Gowda (Washington Freedom), Shayan Jahangir (MI New York), David White (San Francisco Unicorns), Saif Badar (Los Angeles Knight Riders), Cody Chetty (Texas Super Kings)
8. Eighth Round Draft Pick ($10,000)
Angelo Perera (Seattle Orcas), Justin Dill (Washington Freedom), Kyle Phillip (MI New York), Smit Patel (San Francisco Unicorns), Shadley Van Schalkwyk, Zia Shahzad (Texas Super Kings)
9. Ninth Round Draft Pick ($2,500)
Matthew Tromp (Seattle Orcas), Akhilesh Bodugum (Washington Freedom), Saideep Ganesh (MI New York), Sanjay Krishnamurthi (San Francisco Unicorns), Bhaskar Yadram (Los Angeles Knight Riders), Saiteja Mukkamalla (Texas Super Kings)
10. Overseas Signings ($60,000-$372,000)
The exact amounts for the overseas signings have not been disclosed yet. These are estimates based on reports and the purse allocated to each team.
Anrich Nortje, Wanindu Hasaranga, Marco Jansen, Glenn Phillips, Adam Milne (Washington Freedom)
Aaron Finch, Marcus Stoinis (San Francisco Unicorns)
Quinton de Kock, Wayne Parnell, Dasun Shanaka, Sikandar Raza (Seattle Orcas)
In conclusion, Major League Cricket players in the USA will be making a decent amount of money from MLC, a league that lasts only three weeks.
The average salary for a professional cricketer in the league ranges from $25,000 to $75,000, with the top players earning considerably more. While it may not match the salary of some of the top athletes in America, it is impressive for a sport that’s still finding its footing in the country.
As a fan of the sport, it’s exciting to see the potential for growth and success in Major League Cricket, and I can’t wait to see what the future holds for these talented athletes. With cricket’s popularity on the rise, it’s not a stretch to say that the league’s players could one day be just as well-compensated as their counterparts in football and baseball.
What is the average salary for a Major League Cricket (MLC) player in the USA?
The average salary of a Major League Cricket (MLC) player is $60,526. Each MLC team has a purse of $1.15 million for 19 players total (10 domestic, 9 overseas).
Is Major League Cricket (MLC) the richest cricket league in the world?
No, the Indian Premier League (IPL) is the richest cricket league in the world. The MLC is the seventh richest cricket league in the world (based on average player salary).
How much money does Unmukt Chand earn in Major League Cricket (MLC) in the USA?
Unmukt Chand was picked for $65,000 as he was a second-round pick for the LA Knight Riders in the MLC player draft.
Who was the most expensive player in the MLC draft?
Harmeet Singh, Andries Gous, Steven Taylor, Corey Anderson, Ali Khan, and Rusty Theron were the most expensive players. They each earned $75,000 as the first draft picks.
Which overseas cricketers will play in Major League Cricket (MLC) to be held in the United States later this summer? Jason Roy, Faf du Plessis, Anrich Nortje, Aaron Finch, Quinton de Kock, Wanindu Hasaranga, and Sikandar Raza are some of the high-profile overseas players who will play in MLC.
The MLC draft held at the NASA Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas started proceedings in March.
Creating a unique blend of talent and entertainment, Major League Cricket (MLC) in USA has signed up 11 overseas cricketers already. From Australia’s explosive captain Aaron Finch to South African wicket-keeper Quinton de Kock, MLC have added some major stars to their line-up.
With a total of 54 overseas spots open (6 teams, 9 overseas slots per squad), more such high-profile signings are just around the corner.
Key Takeaways
13 cricketers from South Africa, 12 from Australia, 8 from New Zealand, 7 from West Indies, 3 from Afghanistan, 2 from Pakistan, 2 from West Indies, 1 from England, 1 from India, 1 from Namibia, and 1 from Zimbabwe have signed for Major League Cricket (MLC) so far.
9 overseas players can be added to each Major League Cricket squad, but only 7 of them can feature in the XI.
Ross Taylor (batting coach – Seattle Orcas), Johan Botha (bowling coach – Seattle Orcas), & Stephen Fleming (Head coach – Texas Super Kings), Albie Morkel (Assistant coach – Texas Super Kings), Shane Watson (coach – San Francisco Unicorns), Dale Steyn (Bowling Coach – Washington Freedom) are other high-profile foreign cricketers who will be involved with Major League Cricket (MLC).
Steve Smith has signed up as an ‘ambassador’ with the Washington Freedom team, but will not feature in the 2023 inaugural MLC edition.
Wanindu Hasaranga, Sikandar Raza, and Ambati Rayudu have since withdrawn from the tournament.
List of Overseas Cricketers in Major League Cricket (MLC)
Here is the list of overseas cricketers who have been signed in MLC.
Note: Unmukt Chand, Dane Piedt, Corey Anderson, Liam Plunkett, Shehan Jayasuriya, Rusty Theron, Sami Aslam, etc. qualify as domestic players.
Other Franchise Teams: Delhi Daredevils, Kings XI Punjab, Mumbai Indians, Kolkata Knight Riders, Royal Challengers Bangalore, Sunrisers Hyderabad, Sydney Sixers
Role: Right Arm Medium/Right Hand Bat (All Rounder)
Other Franchise Teams: Royal Challengers Bangalore, Rising Pune Supergiants, Sydney Thunder, Melbourne Stars, Adelaide Strikers, Guyana Amazon Warriors, Jamaica Tallawahs, Dubai Capitals, Welsh Fire
Other Franchise Teams: Chennai Super Kings, Joburg Super Kings, Rising Pune Supergiants, Comilla Victorians, Jaffna Kings, Melbourne Renegades, Northern Superchargers, Paarl Rocks, Perth Scorchers, Peshawar Zalmi, Quetta Gladiators, St. Kitts and Nevis Patriots, St. Lucia Kings, Titans
Other Franchise Teams: Lahore Qalandars, Melbourne Stars
Role: Right Arm Fast Bowler
48. Shadab Khan (San Francisco Unicorns)
International Team: Pakistan
Other Franchise Teams: Islamabad United, Brisbane Heat, Dhaka Platoon, Edmonton Royals, Guyana Amazon Warriors, Hobart Hurricanes, Khulna Tigers, Sydney Sixers, Trinbago Knight Riders
Role: Right Arm Leg break/ Right-Hand Batter (All Rounder)
49. Tanveer Sangha (Washington Freedom)
International Team: Australia (has not debuted yet)
Other Franchise Teams: Sydney Thunder, Birmingham phoenix
Role: Right Arm Leg Break
50. Shimron Hetmyer (Seattle Orcas)
International Team: West Indies
IPL Team: Rajasthan Royals
Other Franchise Teams: Delhi Capitals, Royal Challengers Bangalore, Quetta Gladiators, Multan Sultans, Guyana Amazon Warriors, Gulf Giants
Role: Left-Hand Batter
51. Dwaine Pretorius (Seattle Orcas)
International Team: South Africa (now retired)
Other Franchise Teams: Chennai Super Kings, Durban Super Giants, Quetta Gladiators, St. Kitts and Nevis Patriots, Welsh Fire
Role: Right Arm Fast/Right-Hand Batter (All-Rounder)
Final Thoughts
Major League Cricket (MLC) in the USA has attracted some of the biggest names in world cricket, with 48 overseas cricketers making the cut and showing their skills on the big stage.
The likes of Aaron Finch, Quinton de Kock, and many other prominent figures are sure to bring a dynamic dimension to the tournament and make it an exciting affair. The level of competition is sure to be high, as teams battle for the title of MLC champions. Fans can expect plenty of action in this highly anticipated tournament!
Which overseas cricketers would you like to see play in Major League Cricket?
Frequently Asked Questions: Overseas Cricketers in Major League Cricket
How many overseas players can a MLC team have in their squads?
Each Major League Cricket (MLC) team is allowed to have 9 overseas players in their squads along with 10 domestic cricketers.
Which country has most players in Major League Cricket as overseas players?
So far, 12 South African cricketers have been signed as overseas signings in MLC 2023.
Which Major League Cricket (MLC) team has signed the most overseas players?
Washington Freedom has so far signed 7 high-profile signings so far. Anrich Nortje, Wanindu Hasaranga, Marco Jansen, Glenn Phillips, Adam Milne, Moises Henriques, and Ben Dwarshuis.
How many overseas players can play in a XI of a Major League Cricket (MLC) match?
Up to six players can play in a MLC match, while nine overseas cricketers can be signed in the squad.
What lessons can we learn from Sachin Tendulkar’s life?
Today is a day of great reflection because today we celebrate the 50th birthday of the great Sachin Tendulkar.
Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar, SRT, or the ‘God of Cricket’—regardless of how you referred to him, for most cricket fans between 1989 and 2013—the love of cricket coincided with the love of Sachin. He represented hope, excellence, and discipline for billions of people around the world.
Let’s reflect back on those 24 precious years and see what we can learn from Sachin Tendulkar’s life. Or at least here is what Sachin Tendulkar taught me.
7 Lessons We Can All Learn from Sachin Tendulkar’s Life
1. We Must Accept Finite Disappointment, but Never Lose Infinite Hope
Quote By: Martin Luther King Jr.
After Kapil Dev & his men lifted the 1983 Cricket World Cup trophy, playing cricket for India and lifting the World Cup became a dream for every schoolboy. Sachin was no different. Fast forward three years into his career, he was selected for the 1992 ODI World Cup.
First time, no luck. Then, 1996 semi-final happened. Sachin Tendulkar stumped. Eden Gardens stunned. India collapse—A common sight in the nineties. It was followed by 1999 hardships & disappointment, 2003 (Final – so close, yet so far), and last, but certainly not the least, the 2007 Cricket World Cup. India crashed out in the group stage. It seemed to be curtains on Sachin Tendulkar’s lifelong dream.
Life Lesson 1: Disappointments are a part and parcel of life. The important thing is to never lose sight of the hope, dream, or end goal you have deep down. If you persevere and keep at it, who knows, maybe one day that dream may come true.
Quote By: Late American basketball legend Kobe Bryant (and quote from his English teacher, Mr. Fisk) while accepting the ESPY ICON AWARD
This speech is so beautiful, it is worth writing it in full here.
“We are not on this stage just due to talent or ability. We are up here because of 4 AM. We are up here because of two-a-days. Or five-a-days. We are up here because we had a dream and let nothing stand in our way. If anything tried to bring us down, we used it to get stronger. We were never satisfied. Never finished. We’ll never be retired. My high school English Teacher, Mr. Fisk. He had this beautiful quote, ‘Rest at the end. Not in the Middle.’ And I took that to heart. I believe there is time to rest at the end, but the time is not now.”
– Kobe BryanT
Just like Kobe Bryant and other legendary sports stars around the world, Tendulkar had to work hard for it.
Sachin Tendulkar was definitely a gifted a cricketer, but that alone did not make him great. Sure, he had natural timing and great hand-eye coordination, but he still had to put in the hard yards. Hours and hours in the nets, days and days in the Bombay Maidans under the sun, honing his technique slowly but surely. One day at a time, he got better. And he just never stopped.
Life Lesson 2: What differentiates excellence from just adequate performance is the work ethic. To achieve greatness in any field, the end result is directly proportional to the amount of work you put in.
3. The Price of Anything is the Amount of Life You Exchange For It
Quote by: Henry David Thoreau, American philosopher and writer
From an outsider’s point of view, Sachin Tendulkar was a superstar and public figure. But this definitely came at a cost. Staying away from family for the better portion of two decades, always being under media pressure, recovering from career threatening injuries, and maintaining international level fitness would not have been easy.
Life Lesson 3: Sacrifice.Whether that is time, family, plans with friends, delicious food, sacrifice in some extent is necessary to progress to the next level.
4. Sometimes It is the People No One Can Imagine of who do the Things No One Can Imagine
Quote By: Alan Turing, Father of Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence
Who would have thought that a 5-foot four schoolboy from Mumbai become the first ODI double centurion, go on to score hundred 100s, and become the idol that would inspire a nation of a billion?And even after he debuted for India, not many could have imagined the scale at which Tendulkar was able to conquer the cricketing world. There have been many 16- & 17-year-old debutants in cricket, but none like Sachin.
Life Lesson 4: If you can put your mind to it and imagine the impossible, you can achieve the impossible. Don’t let anyone ever tell you that you that cannot do something.
5. Only Those Who Will Risk Going Too Far Can Possibly Find Out How Far One Can Go
Quote By: T.S. Eliot, American Poet
Tendulkar did not stop until he reached the height of individual excellence. Sunil Gavaskar, the original ‘Little Master’ had set the bar with 10,000 Test runs and 34 Test centuries. How far would Sachin go? 35? 50? Once he got past, he did not stop. 34,347 runs across formats, scoring hundred 100s and 164 fifties, he finally hung up his boots. But by the time he was done, he had expanded the horizons of what batting excellence looks like.
Life Lesson 5: Beware of complacency. Take some risks. How far can you push the barriers in your profession?
Sachin Tendulkar had the weight of a nation’s expectations but never showed it. He always carried himself with grace and did not let the public know about the stress and mental pressure he must have been going through. That, my friends, is courage.
Life Lesson 6:It is more important how you carry yourself rather than what you achieve.
7. Without Continual Growth and Progress, such words as improvement, achievement, and success have no meaning.
Quote By: Benjamin Franklin, American writer, thinker, politician, scientist, diplomat, printer, publisher, everything.
With such a long career, ups and downs are bound to occur.Teams figured out some of his weaknesses, injuries occurred, and so did prolonged loss of form. What mattered was that Sachin continued to reinvent himself and bring out a new version to overcome certain obstacles. Prime examples are the 241* in Sydney when he famously gave up the cover drive & the second wind in 2010 (at the age of 37, he dominated the South African bowling attack, scored double centuries, and looked fluent as ever).
Life Lesson 7: Keep the curiosity alive and continue to learn. You can only make substantial progress if you struggle initially, experiment with possible solutions, and ultimately overcome the challenges. Lather, rinse, and repeat.
Sacrifice, patience, longevity, work ethic, reinvention, curiosity, grace. The list goes on. We can learn so much from Sachin Tendulkar, a cool head on broad shoulders that taught a country how to excel, win, and most importantly, dream.
What life lesson has Sachin instilled in you? What has he meant to you?
Other Articles on Cricket, Philosophy, and Life Lessons
If you liked this article, be sure to check these articles below on Cricket Life Lessons:
On Sachin Tendulkar’s 50th birthday, here are all of Sachin Tendulkar centuries in one place. Everything you ever wanted to known about Tendulkar’s 100 hundreds.
Let’s begin—Sachin Tendulkar’s Centuries (The Definitive Guide).
Sachin Tendulkar scored 51 Test centuries & 49 ODI centuries in his career.
Tendulkar scored 10 centuries in Sri Lanka, 9 in South Africa, and 7 each in Australia, England, and Bangladesh. In all, he scored 29 Test centuries overseas and 22 at home in India. Interestingly, Tendulkar also scored 29 ODI centuries overseas (12 away, 17 neutral) and 20 at home.
Sachin’s favorite opponent, by far, was Australia. He scored 20 centuries (and 31 fifties) against Australia, 17 vs Sri Lanka, 12 vs South Africa, 9 vs England & New Zealand, 8 vs Zimbabwe, and 7 each against West Indies and Bangladesh.
1998 was Tendulkar’s best year in terms of centuries (12 hundreds, 8 fifties), followed by 8 hundreds (11 fifties) in 1996, and 8 tons (7 fifties) in 1999. Although Tendulkar only scored 3 hundreds in 2007, he was in good form and scored 19 fifties (several 90s that year as well).
Tendulkar never scored a century in Ireland (best of 99), Canada (best of 89*), and Kenya (best of 69).
Sachin Tendulkar had nervous nineties scores 28 times! (10 – Tests, 28 – ODIs). In 27 of those occasions, he was dismissed and was only unbeaten once when he scored 96*.
Tendulkar Hundreds – Major Career Timeline
#1 vs England (1990) – 1st Test Century
#5 vs England (1993) – 1st Century on Home Soil
#8 vs Australia (1994) – 1st ODI Century
#25 vs Sri Lanka (1997)
#30, #31 vs Australia (1998) – The Sharjah Centuries
#44 vs New Zealand (1999) – First Test double century
#50 vs Zimbabwe (2001)
#71 vs Bangladesh (2004) – Highest Test score of 248*
#73 – 35th Test Century – Broke Sunil Gavaskar’s longstanding recordof 34 Test hundreds
#75 vs West Indies (2006)
#93 – 200* vs South Africa – Tendulkar breaks the ODI Double Century Barrier
#97 vs South Africa (2011) – Last Test Century
#100 vs Bangladesh (2012) – Last ODI Century
Sachin Tendulkar Centuries – Fun Facts
53% of Tendulkar’s centuries resulted in victories (33 ODI wins, 20 Test wins), 25% of his hundreds resulted in losses (14 ODI losses, 11 Test losses), and the rest 22% resulted in some form of a draw (20 Test draws, 1 Tied ODI, 1 No Result ODI).
When he scored a century, Sachin won 45 Player of the Match awards – 12 in Test cricket (5 Won, 5 Drawn, 2 Lost) and 33 in ODI cricket (30 Won, 3 Lost).
Sachin Tendulkar scored 22 hundreds in tri-series tournaments, 7 centuries in multi-nation ICC tournaments (6 World Cup hundreds & 1 in 1998 ICC Knockout Trophy/ Wills International Cup), and 4 centuries in quadrangular tournaments. Hence, he scored 33/49 centuries in tournament play and 16 in bilateral series.
By batting positions, Tendulkar’s hundreds are categorized as follows: In Tests (2 tons at #6, 5 at #5, and 44 at #4) and in ODIs (2 tons at #1, 4 at #4, and 46 at #2).
In ODIs, he scored 32 hundreds in the first innings and 17 tons while chasing. In Tests, the distribution was 20 (1st innings), 18 (2nd), 10 (3rd), and 3 (4th).
Sachin Tendulkar – Batting Stats
Here is Sachin Tendulkar’s record in a nutshell.
Note: T20I stats are omitted since he only played one T20I and scored 10 runs.
Matches/Innings
Runs
100s
50s
Average/Strike Rate
Best Score
Tests
200/329
15921
51
68
53.78
248*
ODIs
463/452
18426
49
96
44.83/86.23
200*
List of International Centuries by Sachin Tendulkar
Here is the detailed list of each of Sachin Tendulkar’s centuries in chronological order. Scorecards, photographs, and most highlight reels are attached beneath each innings. Be sure to check them out!
Special thanks to the photographers for the iconic pictures, Rob Moody (robelinda2), and other content creators on YouTube that help us relive Sachin Tendulkar’s hundreds for years and years to come.
1. 119* vs England, 1990, Old Trafford (Test)
Format: Test (1st Test Century)
Opposition: England
Venue: Old Trafford, Manchester, England
Result: Match Drawn, Player of the Match (POTM) – 68 & 119*
Batting Position: #6 (4th Innings)
Context:On Day 5, India had to chase down 408 runs and were struggling at 109/4 when Sachin, Kapil Dev, and Manoj Prabhakar batted through the day and drew the game. Tendulkar won the player of the match award for 68 & 119*.
Context:This match is known for Ravi Shastri’s 206 as an opener. On the other end, was the Little Master, Sachin Tendulkar. He came in at 201/4 and remained unbeaten as India scored 483.
Venue: WACA (Western Australia Cricket Association) Ground, Perth, Australia
Result: Lost
Batting Position: #4 (2nd Innings)
Context:India lost the match by 300 runs and the series 4-0. There was one bright light though – Sachin Tendulkar was promoted at #4 in the first innings and took India to a respectable 272. Due to the tough Perth pitch, this is considered one of Tendulkar’s best knocks. The next highest score was Kiran More’s 43 at #10.
Venue: New Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg, South Africa
Result: Drawn
Batting Position: #4 (2nd innings)
Context:Against a pace attack of Allan Donald, Brian McMillan, and Craig Matthews, Sachin Tendulkar scored a six-hour long 111 (270) when the next best score was just 25.
Venue: MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chepauk, Chennai, India
Result: Won, (POTM) – 165
Batting Position: #4 (1st Innings)
Context:As India posted their highest total at that time (560/6 dec) against England in India, Sachin scored his first century at home. With Sidhu, also scoring a century at the other end, they amassed a 147-run partnership. Sachin Tendulkar’s first player of the match award at home.
Context:Yet another Sidhu-Tendulkar partnership resulted in India posting a massive 511 run total. Sidhu scored 124 with 8 sixes & 9 fours, while Tendulkar scored 142 with 22 fours.
Tournament: Singer World Series 1994 (SL, Ind, Aus, Pak)
Context:Opening the batting, Sachin scored his first ODI ton as an opener and won his first ODI player of the match trophy. With some support from Azharuddin & Vinod Kambli, Tendulkar’s 110 made sure India reached a competitive 246 and won the match.
Venue: Vidarbha Cricket Association Ground, Nagpur, India
Result: Match Drawn
Batting Position: #4 (1st Innings)
Context:The Sidhu-Sachin partnership struck once again. From 49-2, these two took India to 226. By the time Tendulkar was done, India had put up 444. India would end up making 546/9 declared.
Context:Sachin scored a mammoth 137, but his innings was cut short with a run out. India scored 271, but Sanath Jayasuriya’s new style of play took Sri Lanka home.
Tournament: Singer Cup 1995/96 (Tri Series: Pak, SL, Ind)
Context:Tendulkar was India’s only major contributor as India were bundled for 226. Aamer Sohail & Saeed Anwar completed the rain-affected target of 190 runs in just 28 overs. This was his first ton against Pakistan.
Venue: Sharjah Cricket Association Stadium, Sharjah, UAE
Result: Won, (POTM) – 118 & 2/40
Batting Position: #2 (1st Innings)
Tournament: Pepsi Sharjah Cup (Tri Series: SA, Ind, Pak)
Context:Another 231-run partnership with Navjot Singh Sidhu to take India to a score of 305/5. Pakistan made a run for the chase but were all out for 277. Tendulkar had a role to play with the ball as well figures of 7.1-0-40-2.
Context:Trailing 99-runs already in the first innings, India were 36/4 when captain Azharuddin departed. Tendulkar replied with a masterclass of 122 when the next best was Sanjay Manjrekar’s 18.India would go on to lose the Test, but the legend and class of Sachin Tendulkar continued to grow.
Context:Tendulkar scored 177 & 74 in this Test, but this series was known for the find of Sourav Ganguly (and Rahul Dravid). The Tendulkar-Ganguly duo put together a 255-run partnership for the third wicket as India made 521. Ganguly earned the player of the match and series trophies, and India’s next generation was now in motion.
Tournament: Singer World Series (SL, Aus, Ind, Zim)
Context:Captaining India for the first time, Tendulkar’s hundred took India to 226. However, it was the arch-nemesis, Sanath Jayasuriya, whose century overshadowed Tendulkar once again.
Context:This was Tendulkar’s first century when he took first strike in the opening partnership. India posted 267 and demolished the Proteas. End of a succesful hundred-filled year for Tendulkar.
Context:India were struggling at 58/5, when Tendulkar & Azharuddin stitched together a 222-run partnership. India would go on to lose the Test with Brian McMillan’s all-round show.
Tournament: Pepsi Independence Cup 1997 (Pak, SL, Ind, NZ)
Context:The beginnings of the prolific Ganguly-Tendulkar opening partnership in ODIs. They broke the back of the 221-run chase with a 169-run partnership. When Tendulkar got out, India only need 5 runs to win.
Context:Will forever be remembered as the infamous 952/6 game after India declared their innings for 537/8. Tendulkar’s 143 was the third highest score of the game after Jayasuriya’s 340 & Roshan Mahanama’s 225.
Context:The trio of Indian cricket came to the party in another high run-fest draw against Sri Lanka – Dravid (93), Ganguly (173), and Tendulkar (148).
Venue: MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chepauk, Chennai, India
Result: Won, (POTM) – 155*
Batting Position: #4 (3rd Innings)
Context:Australia had gained a first innings lead, but with Tendulkar’s hundred and fifties from Sidhu, Dravid, and Azhar, India were able to come back in the match.
Context:Tendulkar’s 177 took India to a first innings total of 424, but hundreds from the Marks (Waugh & Taylor) as well Kasprowicz’s bowling show gave Australia a rare victory on Indian soil.
Tournament: Pepsi Triangular Series (Ind, Aus, Zim)
Context:A 175-run opening partnership between Ganguly and Tendulkar meant India chased 223 in style. The year of Tendulkar against the mighty Aussiese.
Venue: Sharjah Cricket Association Stadium, Sharjah, UAE
Result: Lost, (POTM) – 143 & 1/27
Batting Position: #2 (2nd Innings)
Tournament: Coco-Cola Cup 1997/98 (Tri Series: Aus, Ind, NZ)
Context:In the chase of 276 in 46 overs, Tendulkar single-handedly dragged India close. When he got out, he had scored 143 out of India’s 242 runs. With 21 balls remaining, India could only add 8 more runs. Established Tendulkar as a living legend.
Venue: Sharjah Cricket Association Stadium, Sharjah, UAE
Result: Won, (POTM) – 134
Batting Position: #2 (2nd Innings)
Tournament: Final, Coca-Cola Cup 1997/98 (Tri Series: Aus, Ind, NZ)
Context:Two days later, same venue, same opposition, almost similar situation. Different result. Chasing 273 in 50 overs, Tendulkar bludgeoned134 runs but departed with 30 runs still to go. This time, though, with help from Azharuddin, Jadeja, and Kanitkar, India won the Final. These two contests in Sharjah marked the beginning of the Warne-Tendulkar rivalry.
Context:Putting together a 252-run opening partnership with Ganguly, Tendulkar led India to a competitive 307 in the final of the tri-series. Sri Lanka came close, courtesy a century by Aravinda de Silva, but lost by 6 runs.
Venue: Bangabandhu National Stadium, Dhaka, Bangladesh
Result: Won, (POTM) – 141 & 4/38
Batting Position: #2 (1st Innings)
Tournament: Wills International Cup 1998/99 (WI, SA, Ind, SL, Pak, Aus, Eng, Zim, NZ)
Context:Tendulkar’s glorious year against Australia continued with a blistering century as well as a bowling performance. Opened the innings and continued the carnage till the 46th over, when the score was already 280.
Venue: Sharjah Cricket Association Stadium, Sharjah, UAE
Result: Won, (POTM) – 118*
Batting Position: #2 (2nd Innings)
Tournament: Coca-Cola Champions Trophy 1998/99 (Tri Series: Ind, Zim, SL)
Context:Another dominating chase by Sachin. He scored 118 out of 197 runs and finished the chase in 40.4 overs. His strike rate was 105.35 when the next best for India was Ganguly at 57.14.
Venue: Sharjah Cricket Association Stadium, Sharjah, UAE
Result: Won, (POTM) – 124* & 1/16
Batting Position: #2 (2nd Innings)
Tournament: Coca-Cola Champions Trophy 1998/99 Final (Tri Series: Ind, Zim, SL)
Context:Almost similar to his previous century. Chasing 197 against Zimbabwe, this time Tendulkar helped India score the runs in 30 overs. India won by 10 wickets – Tendulkar 124* (92) at 134.18 & Ganguly 63* (90) at 70.00 strike rate.
Context:Trailing New Zealand by 144 runs, Tendulkar’s century and contributions from almost every batter took India to a competitive 356 runs. The Craigs – McMillan and Cairns ensured that New Zealand get to the target of 214 without any hiccups.
Venue: MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chepauk, Chennai, India
Result: Lost, (POTM) – 1/10 & 2/35, 136
Batting Position: #4 (4th Innings)
Context:A thriller of a Test match, and Tendulkar’s masterclass in the fourth innings. Chasing a mammoth 271 in Chennai, India were reeling at 6/2 and later at 82/5. Ramesh, Laxman, Dravid, Azharuddin, and Ganguly,all back in the hut. With some support from Nayan Mongia, Tendulkar almost single-handedly drove India close to victory. However, Pakistan held their nerve and India would lose this close fourth innings encounter by just 12 runs.
Context:Another high scoring draw against Sri Lanka. Tendulkar was one of the many centurions from this Test; others being Ramesh, Dravid, and Jayawardene, who scored 242.
Context:Tendulkar’s first ODI century at #4. This innings is best remembered for Sachin’s tribute to his late father, and the unbeaten 237-run partnership between Dravid-Tendulkar.
Tournament: Aiwa Cup 1999 (Tri Series: Aus, SL, Ind)
Context:Back to opening with Sadagoppan Ramesh as his partner, Tendulkar took first strike in this match. He was involved in the 75-run opening partnership as well as a 117-run partnership with Ganguly, who was now the new #4.
Venue: Punjab Cricket Association Stadium, Mohali, Chandigarh, India
Result: Drawn
Batting Position: #4 (3rd Inning)
Context:India recovered from 83-all out in the first innings to score a mammoth 505/3 declared in their second. Debutant Devang Gandhi scored 75, Ramesh chipped in with 73, and the Dravid-Tendulkar duo managed 144 & 126* respectively.
Venue: Sardar Patel Stadium, Motera, Ahmedabad, India
Result: Drawn, (POTM) – 217
Batting Position: #4 (1st Innings)
Context:India put up 583/7 declared in the first innings courtesy centuries from Ramesh (110), Ganguly (125), and Tendulkar (217). This was Sachin Tendulkar’s first double century.
Venue: Lal Bahadur Shastri Stadium, Hyderabad, Deccan, India
Result: Won, (POTM) – 186*
Batting Position: #2 (1st Innings)
Context:This day is remembered for a couple of reasons – (1) One of the final days when ODIs where played in whites, (2) a 331-run partnership between Dravid & Tendulkar, and finally (3) Sachin’s highest ODI score that stood tall until his double century.
Venue: Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), Melbourne, Australia
Result: Lost, (POTM) – 116 & 52
Batting Position: #4 (2nd Innings)
Context:One of Sachin Tendulkar’s finest knocks. Against an attack of Glenn McGrath, Damien Fleming, Brett Lee, and Shane Warne, Tendulkar fought the lone hand. He scored 116 out of India’s 238 in the first innings with minimal support apart from Ganguly & Kumbleand followed it up with a fifty in the second innings.
Venue: Indian Petrochemicals Corporation Limited Sports Complex Ground, Vadodara, India
Result: Won, (POTM) – 122
Batting Position: #2 (2nd Innings)
Context:Tendulkar & Ganguly, back to the top of the batting order, put together 153 runs for the first wicket. India won by 4 wickets with just one ball to spare in the chase of 283.
Venue: Sharjah Cricket Association Stadium, Sharjah, UAE
Result: Lost, (POTM) – 101
Batting Position: #2 (1st Innings)
Tournament: Coco-Cola Champions Trophy 2000/01 (Tri Series: SL, Ind, Zim)
Context:From India’s side, only Tendulkar stood up with a century when the next best was 35. Sri Lanka, on the other hand, chased 225 with sizeable contributions from Russell Arnold (59), Jayasuriya (48), Sangakkara (40*), and Jayawardene (38).
Context:This match is better known for Javagal Srinath’s 4/81 & 5/60, Andy Flower’s 183* * 70, and Dravid’s 200* & 70*, but Tendulkar contributed nicely with 122 & 39 as well.
Venue: Vidarbha Cricket Association Ground, Nagpur, India
Result: Drawn
Batting Position: #4 (1st Innings)
Context:You would think Sachin’s unbeaten double century would yield him a player of the match trophy. Think again, this was Zimbabwe cricket at its peak and Andy Flower upped Tendulkar with a show of 55 & 232*.
Venue: MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chepauk, Chennai, India
Result: Won
Batting Position: #4 (2nd Innings)
Context:We all remember this month for Harbhajan’s excellence and the colossal Laxman’s 281 & Dravid’s 180 rearguard effort. But in the final match of the series, Sachin scored a century of his own.
Context:A game India truly dominated. VVS Laxman & Tendulkar combined for a 199-run second wicket partnership. India reached 299/8 and won by 118 runs.
Tournament: Standard Bank Triangular Tournament 2001/02 (SA, Ind, Ken)
Context:The golden era of Ganguly-Tendulkar mayhem continued. Ganguly 111, Tendulkar 146, partnership 258 runs, India 351/3. Ended up winning by 186 runs.
57. 155 vs South Africa, 2001, Bloemfontein (Test)
Format: Test (#26)
Opposition: South Africa
Venue: Goodyear Park, Bloemfontein, South Africa
Result: Lost
Batting Position: #4 (1st Innings)
Context:Against an attack of Shaun Pollock, Nantie Hayward, Jacques Kallis, and Makhaya Ntini, Tendulkar scored a fluent 155 and had support from a certain Virender Sehwag (105) at #6.
Venue: Sardar Patel Stadium, Motera, Ahmedabad, India
Result: Drawn
Batting Position: #4 (2nd Innings)
Context:Responding to England’s first innings total of 407, India struggled under the guile of Giles. Ashley Giles took 5/67, but Tendulkar’s 103 took India to a safe score of 291.
Venue: Vidarbha Cricket Association Ground, Nagpur, India
Result: Won
Batting Position: #4 (2nd Innings)
Context:On this occasion, India were a class apart against Zimbabwe. Centuries from Shiv Sundar Das, Tendulkar, and Sanjay Bangar as well as a 9-wicket match haul for Anil Kumble meant that Zimbabwe were never really in the game.
60. 117 vs West Indies, 2002, Port of Spain (Test)
Format: Test (#29)
Opposition: West Indies
Venue: Queen’s Park Oval, Port of Spain, Trinidad
Result: Won
Batting Position: #4 (1st Innings)
Context:Although Tendulkar scored a century in the first innings (and duck in the second), it was VVS Laxman’s twin fifties (69* & 74) that earned him the player of the match trophy.
Venue: The Royal & Sun Alliance County Ground, Bristol, England
Result: Won,(POTM) – 113
Batting Position: #4 (1st Innings)
Tournament: NatWest Series (Ind, Eng, SL)
Context:Before the Yuvraj-Kaif magic and Ganguly’s celebration celebration in the final, Tendulkar scored a couple of tons of his own in THAT NatWest series.
Context:This match ended in a draw, but not before several great individual performances – Gayle’s 88, Wavell Hinds’ 100, Chanderpaul’s 140, Samuels’ 104, Harbhajan Singh’s 5-fer, 154* for VVS Laxman, and the Little Master’s 176.
Context:Good exposure for Namibia in an ODI World Cup, but Tendulkar (152) himself beat all of the Namibian team combined (130). It was that pair again on the charge – 244 between Tendulkar & Ganguly, who scored 112*.
Context:Against Australia, rises VVS Laxman. Laxman scored 102 before being run out by Andrew Symonds and added 190 runs with Tendulkar for the second wicket.
Venue: Lal Bahadur Shastri Stadium, Hyderabad, Deccan, India
Result: Won
Batting Position: #2 (1st Innings)
Tournament: TVS Cup (Tri Series: Aus, Ind, NZ)
Context:Virender Sehwag cemented his place as Tendulkar’s opening partner in ODIs. The duo scored 182 for the opening wicket while Ganguly dropped to #3 in the batting line up.
Venue: Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG), Sydney, Australia
Result: Drawn, (POTM) – 241* & 60*
Batting Position: #4 (1st Innings)
Context:The Test innings that everyone still talks about to this day. In order to rectifya flaw outside off, Tendulkar decided to let go off his famous cover drive. The art of a true genius. This innings required patience, grit, and mental fortitude. At the end, he scored a famous double century and probably his best Test innings.
Context:One of the best ODI series of all-time. Pakistan scored 329 due to neat 80s from Yasir Hameed and Shahid Afridi along with important contributions from Inzamam-ul-Haq, Younis Khan, Shoaib Malik, and Abdul Razzaq. In reply, Tendulkar scored 141 but did not have as much support from the rest of the XI as India fell short by 12 runs.
Venue: Sardar Patel Stadium, Motera, Ahmedabad, India
Result: Lost
Batting Position: #2 (1st Innings)
Context:Tendulkar’s hundred, Dhoni’s 47, and Yuvraj’s 35* got India to a score of 319, but Inzamam-ul-Haq & Shoaib Malik forged a quick partnership to take Pakistan home.
Context:Another close match against Pakistan. Another loss. Tendulkar (100), Irfan Pathan (56), and Dhoni (68) took India to 328, but a hundred from Salman Butt & 90 from Shoaib Malik meant the chase was complete with 3 overs to spare.
Venue: Bir Shrestha Shahid Ruhul Amin Stadium, Chittagong, Bangladesh
Result: Drawn
Batting Position: #4 (1st Innings)
Context:Centuries for Tendulkar and Ganguly. Known for their ODI partnership, this time they put together a 189-run partnership for the 4th wicket in this Test.
Venue: Shere Bangla National Stadium, Mirpur, Bangladesh
Result: Won
Batting Position: #4 (1st Innings)
Context:A rare occasion where India’s entire Top 4 scored centuries – Dinesh Karthik 129, Wasim Jaffer 138, Rahul Dravid 129, and Sachin Tendulkar 122*. India declared after scoring 610/3 and won by an innings & 239 runs.
Venue: Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG), Sydney, Australia
Result: Lost
Batting Position: #4 (2nd Innings)
Context:One of the more controversial series in recent memories, but that shouldn’t take away from the fact that Tendulkar scored yet another majestic hundred Down Under.
Tournament: Commonwealth Bank (CB) Series (Tri Series: Aus, Ind, SL)
Context:One of India’s more celebrated victories as the era of tri-series was coming to an end. Tendulkar’s 117* took India to victory in the CB series final. This series will be remembered for the Lee vs Tendulkar battle.
Venue: Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium, Jamtha, Nagpur, India
Result: Won
Batting Position: #4 (1st Innings)
Context:Sachin’s 109 set the platform as India scored 441 in the first innings. Despite Jason Krejza’s best effort (8/215 & 4/143), Australia still fell short by 172 runs in the Test.
Venue: MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chepauk, Chennai, India
Result: Won
Batting Position: #4 (4th Innings)
Context:One of the greatest Test chases of all time. The original Bazballfourth innings chase. 387 chased down in 98.3 overs at 3.92 run rate, courtesy Sehwag’s quick assault of 83 (68).
Context:Ended retired hurt at 163* with five overs still to spare. One of Tendulkar’s greatest ODI innings, playing shots all around the park with 16 fours and five sixes.
Context:An all-round batting performance led by Tendulkar took India to 520 in the first innings, and the Kiwis never recovered. Gambhir’s Napier marathon of 137 & 167 in Wellington secured crucial draws, but Tendulkar’s hundred in this match helped India take the lead 1-0.
Venue: Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Uppal, Hyderabad, India
Result: Lost
Batting Position: #2 (2nd Innings)
Context:Apart from the Sharjah knocks in 1998 vs Australia, this is quite possibly Sachin Tendulkar’s best ODI innings of all-time. Chasing 351, Sachin got India to 332 before paddle scooping it to Nathan Hauritz. A collapse followed and India were stopped at 347. So close, yet so far.
Venue: Sardar Patel Stadium, Motera, Ahmedabad, India
Result: Drawn
Batting Position: #5 (3rd Innings)
Context:One of those high scoring India-Sri Lanka matches. Welegedera’s first morning spell reduced India to 4/32 before Dravid (177), Yuvraj (68), and Dhoni (110) helped India recover. In response, Dilshan scored 112, Jayawardenes scored centuries (275 for Mahela and 154* for Prasanna). Then came 114 for Gautam Gambhir and finally, 100* for Sachin Tendulkar at the end of the third innings.
Venue: Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium, Chittagong, Bangladesh
Result: Won, (POTM) – 105*
Batting Position: #4 (1st Innings)
Context:Tendulkar’s unbeaten hundred was India’s only fighting force in the first innings as Shahadat Hossain & Shakib took 5 wickets each and bundled India for 243.
Venue: Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium, Jamtha, Nagpur, India
Result: Lost
Batting Position: #4 (3rd Innings)
Context:335 runs behind South Africa in the first innings after Amla’s 253* and Steyn’s masterclass of 7/51, Tendulkar tried to save India in the follow-on. Tendulkar made a century but India still lost by an innings and 6 runs against a world class South African outfit.
Context:A Valentine Century for Sachin Tendulkar. Fun Fact – Tendulkar’s 106 was actually India’s third highest score in the innings after Laxman’s 143 & Sehwag’s 165. Hashim Amla also scored twin tons in that match, 114 & 123*, but India would end up winning by an innings.
Context:Tendulkar continued his rich vein of form with yet another double century. By the time he was done, he had already posted 592 runs. India would make 707 as the match headed towards a draw.
Context:Replying back to Australia’s 478, Tendulkar & Murali Vijay put together a 308-run stand to help India recover from 38/2. Tendulkar’s final double century.
Context:India’s first innings collapse came back to haunt them in this match. India were bundled out 136 and South Africa replied with 620/4 declared featuring Jacques Kallis’ maiden double century. Tendulkar (111*), Dhoni (90), Gambhir (80), and Sehwag (63) took India to 459, but still could not avoid an innings defeat.
Context:Against Dale Steyn & Morne Morkel in their primes, Tendulkar crafted a majestic ton at Newlands. One of the best performances for an Indian batter overseas.
Venue: Vidharbha Cricket Association Stadium, Jamtha, Nagpur, India
Result: Lost
Batting Position: #2 (1st Innings)
Tournament: 2011 ODI Cricket World Cup
Context:In one of the best matches of the tournament, Sehwag & Tendulkar powered India to a 142-run stand in just 17.4 overs. Dale Steyn’s 5-fer would reduce India to 296, which South Africa would chase down in a thriller of a contest.
Venue: Shere Bangla National Stadium, Mirpur, Bangladesh
Result: Lost
Batting Position: #2 (1st Innings)
Tournament: Asia Cup 2012 (Pak, Ban, Ind, SL)
Context:For such an illustrious career, this innings was criticized by many due to that strike rate of 77.55. Despite a 148-run partnership with Virat Kohli, Tendulkar’s final hundred resulted in Team India’s loss unfortunately.
