The God of Cricket: Why Sachin Tendulkar is the undisputed titleholder

Cricket has seen many players rise to legendary status over the years. However, throughout the sport's history, only one individual has truly earned the title of the 'God of Cricket.' In the sport that saw greats like Don Bradman, Glenn McGrath, and Viv Richards, Sachin Tendulkar distinguished himself as one of the all-time greats. Even years after his retirement from all formats, Tendulkar continues to be celebrated as the undisputed ‘God of Cricket.’ His legacy is so profound that no other player, whether from India or abroad, has come close to filling his shoes as the next ‘God’ of the game.

Why is Sachin Tendulkar still regarded as the 'God of Cricket'?

Sachin Tendulkar is recognized as the God of Cricket, and this title is justified for numerous reasons. His name is linked to a number of records in cricket that still await a worthy challenger after Tendulkar to surpass them. However, replicating the standard of batting that Tendulkar established remains an arduous task for any batter. Making his international debut at just 16 years old, he quickly captured attention with his consistent and exceptional performances. Now, 36 years after his inaugural match, Tendulkar is honored for an extraordinary career characterized by impressive statistics and unmatched longevity.

Also fondly known as the Master Blaster, Tendulkar has set a multitude of records that bolster his claim to divine status within cricket. He holds the record for the most Test matches played, with 200 appearances, and has achieved remarkable milestones, including the highest number of runs (15,921), the most centuries (51), and the most nineties (10) in Test history. Additionally, he leads in Test cricket with over 2,058 boundaries and was the fastest player to reach 15,000 runs.

Marking a swift and seamless transition from Tests to ODIs, Tendulkar trumped the record books in the 50-over format as well when the time came. The former Indian skipper boasts the longest ODI career, lasting an impressive 22 years and 91 days. Moreover, Sachin still holds the record for the most runs scored by a batsman in a single calendar year, with 1,894 runs. Currently, the 33-year-old English batsman Joe Root is making strides to challenge Tendulkar's record for most centuries in Test cricket. However, even if Root manages to equal or surpass the long-standing record set by the Indian icon, he is still far from succeeding Tendulkar as the next ‘God of Cricket.’