5 greatest ODI Innings of Sachin Tendulkar  

Many cricketers have come and gone, but only a few have managed to create a lasting impact among the fans. Any discussion about cricket is incomplete without the mention of Sachin Tendulkar. In his 23-year long career, Sachin played alongside some of the best talents of the Indian team.

He played with the likes of Vinod Kambli, Mohammad Azharuddin, Rahul Dravid, Rahul Dravid, MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli. Single-handedly leading the side to victory on countless occasions, Tendulkar undoubtedly ranks amongst the most exceptional batsmen to have graced the 22-yard pitch.

Fans in India not only love and adore Sachin, but see him as an idol and a youth icon. He was an emotion and phenomenon for thousands in the stadium, and millions watching at home. Late Aussie journalist Peter Roebuck shared his experience of witnessing the craze for the "Master Blaster."

On a train from Shimla to Delhi, there was a halt in one of the stations. The train stopped by for few minutes as usual. Sachin was nearing century, batting on 98. The passengers, railway officials, everyone on the train waited for Sachin to complete the century. This Genius can stop time in India!

Without further ado, let's take a look at the five most prominent ODI innings played by Sachin Tendulkar.

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#5 140* vs Kenya at Bristol, 1999

Lighting up the World Cup.

This knock will forever be etched in the memories of the fans. He played the innings on the backdrop of loss of his father. His mother wanted him to go back and represent the nation. His father too would have wanted the same.

He returned back and paid his tributes in the form of a scintillating innings of 140 runs vs Kenya in the very next match. His dedication and passion for the game and country was on display in the match.

Beaten in the first game at the hands of South Africa and Jacques Kallis, India needed to win against Zimbabwe to keep themselves alive in the tournament. But two losses in two matches had India hanging on the cliff. The team required to win all the remaining three matches to advance further.

Put to bat first against Kenya, Tendulkar came in to bat at the third position to a roaring welcome from the crowd. He started his innings on a watchful note. Once he had settled in, the Kenyan bowlers were treated with utter disdain. He remained unbeaten on 140 off 101 balls.

On completion of his century, he removed his helmet and turned his gaze skywards, dedicating the knock to his father. At that point of time, a billion people had moist eyes in India.

Tendulkar recounted years after the incident.

That was the most difficult stage of my life. At that moment my mom said that even my father would have wanted me to go back and play, because if I sit back at home then it would possibly be the worst thing. ‘You have to go and play for your country, because that is the most important thing.

India won the match by 94 runs, and Tendulkar was adjudged as the player of the match.

#4 98 vs Pakistan at Centurion, 2003

A career-defining inning.

Who said an innings needs to be a century for getting recognised as iconic? Sachin Tendulkar's 98 against Pakistan in the 2003 World Cup is the perfect example of courage and fortitude that is required to destroy arguably the most respectable bowling lineup of all time.

With bowlers like Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis, Shoaib Akhtar, and Abdul Razzaq in the side, Pakistan had formidable artillery in their squad. But Tendulkar had other plans. Starting from the word go, Sachin's back-foot extra-cover boundary off Wasim Akram set the tone of the innings.

The knock had some iconic moments with his six off Shoaib Akhtar over third man still etched in the fans' minds.

A minor scare of crams did not prevent him from hammering the opposition to all parts of the ground. The pain kept on increasing, but so did Sachin's will to take the team all the way. With Sehwag as his runner, he kept India marching towards the target.

By the time Shoaib Akthar bounced him out for 98, he had put India in a commanding position.

Tendulkar walked down memory lane to celebrate his 20 years in international cricket and talked about his innings against Pakistan.

I remember a few innings and important among them is the innings against Pakistan in the 2003 World Cup. We won that match (by 6 wickets)

A well-played 98 off 75 balls received standing ovation from both Indian and Pakistani spectators. Such was the magic of the knock. India did go on to win the match with ease, and people still discuss his innings that comes once in decades, let alone years.

#3 175 vs Australia at Hyderabad, 2009

The time when Australia got decimated.

Sachin's most glorious innings in a losing cause came against Australia in Hyderabad in 2009. Even a colossal knock of 175 was not enough to take down the Aussies. Chasing an enormous total of 351, Sachin was playing a gem of an innings from one end but other batsmen were getting out cheaply.

What happened next was both shocking and heartbreaking. Tendulkar, with his crisp and picture-perfect shots, kept India's hopes alive. Every run and boundary from his willow was taking India to the finishing line. But, a wrongly timed paddle scoop claimed his wicket as the big man went back to the pavilion for 175 off 140 balls with 19 fours and four sixes.

Looking back at the performance, Tendulkar still wanted to trade the century for a victory,

It was certainly one of my best innings, but I would have gladly traded those 175 runs for a victory.. It's the passion of representing India in international cricket that keep me motivated all the time. It's always a dream to play for my country. I am absolutely honoured to do that for the last 20 years

India lost the match by three runs, but Sachin was deservedly adjudged the main of the match for his splendid century. Only if he had the support of fellow teammates, the outcome of the match would have been completely different.

#2 200* vs South Africa at Gwalior, 2010

The record-breaking knock.

On February 24, 2010, Sachin Tendulkar smashed a record-breaking 200* against South Africa and broke Saeed Anwar's 13-year old record of 194. Scoring the first double hundred in one-day international cricket history, Tendulkar hit 25 fours and three sixes helping India amass a total of 401.

What was special about the innings was that nobody before had expected a double hundred in the limited formats of the game. Sachin rose to the occasion, as always, and proved his mettle once again. Pushing hard for the singles towards the end of the innings showed his hunger and desperation to silence the critics for the nth time in his career.

I thought the way he celebrated when he reached his 200 epitomised the man's persona. There was no running laps around the field, no aggressive gestures, nothing over-the-top. He did what he always does, raised both his arms, closed his eyes for a moment and quietly acknowledged that it had been done. - Anil Kumble

February 24th will go down as one of most historic days in the game of cricket. For on this day, a benchmark was set for future players to match the grit and determination of "The Master Blaster."

Sure, Rohit Sharma, Virender Sehwag, and Martin Guptill went on to score double hundreds too, but the innings at Gwalior at the hands of Sachin Tendulkar remains unmatched to date.

#1 143 vs Australia at Sharjah, 1998

The Desert Storm.

Was there ever any doubt? A few have managed to come close, but the "Desert Storm" of 1998 stands apart from all his masterclass innings. While chasing down a mammoth total of 276 off 46 overs, the Indian openers came on the field to a thunderous ovation from the Sharjah crowd. Everybody wanted to see Sachin take the side to victory.

The desert storm had cleared a bit, but a bigger one was about to hit the Aussies. A series where the Australians had already beaten the men in blue earlier, Sachin and co. had to win the game to qualify for the finals. And the little master didn't disappoint. With every immaculate drive and square cuts, India was cruising to victory.

The relentless power and unstoppable control with which Sachin batted, the Aussies were left to nothing.

They are dancing in the aisles of Sharjah.

What a player! What a wonderful player!

The icing on the cake came at the hands of Tony Greig. One of the greatest commentators of all time, his precise and perfect lines came at the right moment.