5 shots that showed Sachin Tendulkar's greatness

# Hook off Dale Steyn

India v South Africa: Group B - 2011 ICC World Cup

Through the 1990s, Sachin was facing bowlers such as Warne, McGrath, etc. He took on all of them and proved his class. But even in the last stages of his career, he chose the best bowler of the generation to show his mettle against – Dale Steyn.

Steyn was at the receiving end of the Master’s fury even in his epic innings of 200* in 2010. But it was in the 2011 World Cup group game that Sachin produced another shot that told the world that he is still the best in the business.

Dale Steyn banged the ball hard into the pitch for a short delivery that was bowled at a speed of well over 140/kph. It also wasn’t directed too badly as it didn’t provide much room to Sachin. But the ‘Master Blaster’ was quick to go back and across and pull it behind the square on the leg-side for six.

In the pull off Patterson mentioned earlier, Tendulkar just shifted his weight onto the backfoot and swivelled his hips around to play the pull. Here, he employed the strategy of going back-and-across for achieving the desired result. This shows the versatility and the mastery possessed by him. Ricky Ponting was regarded as the best puller and hooker but Tendulkar was also second to none.

To do this against the best bowler of the generation, that too, when he is at his pomp showed that as late as 2011, Sachin was in a league of his own. A legend in the truest sense of the word.

(Watch from 0:07 in the video)