Shane Warne vs Sachin Tendulkar: Cricketing rivalry at its finest

Shane Warne, the Australian Spin King, and Sachin Tendulkar the Little Master of India shared one of the most delightful cricketing rivalries. 

In them, the world didn’t just see two cricketers clash, but we also saw Tendulkar’s humble and private genius match up against Warne’s brash but masterful showmanship. It was almost as if Warne’s bowling was an unstoppable force that met its match in Tendulkar’s batting, which stood as the immovable object. 

While Tendulkar has been hailed as the most technically gifted batsman of the modern era, Warne’s leg-spin wizardry has left many bamboozled. With the Australian legend dead of a heart attack at 52, here’s looking at their iconic rivalry over the years.

Tendulkar- the comeback king 

Chennai saw a breathtaking showdown in 1998 when Warne dismissed Tendulkar for just four runs in the first Test. However, Tendulkar returned with a vengeance in the second innings, quashing all dreams of a rare Australian win on Indian soil.

He punished the entire bowling lineup, including Warne, scoring a memorable 155 off 191 deliveries.

Also read: Australia legend Shane Warne’s life in pictures

Out, but not soon enough 

The same year, India and Australia locked horns in Kanpur once again, where Warne did take Tendulkar’s wicket, but not before he’d scored 100 off 89 balls. India won the match by six wickets.

Breaking the partnership 

Adelaide saw India chasing Australia’s respectable 441 runs, with Tendulkar stepping up to the crease after his team scored 90 runs, losing two wickets. The then-captain quickly got about building a partnership with Sourav Ganguly, but Warne had other ideas. His delivery got Tendulkar out at 61, with Justin Langer taking the catch. India went on to lose the match as the batting order eventually collapsed. 

More woes at Melbourne

In the clash between the teams at Melbourne, Tendulkar manage to win Man of the Match, but Shane Warne had him dead to rights, as the batsman was caught with his leg before the wicket after managing 52 runs. 

IPL matchup – the saga continues 

Warne and Tendulkar’s rivalry went beyond international cricket to the Indian Premier League. They captained Rajasthan Royals and Mumbai Indians respectively, and in 2009, Warne took Tendulkar’s wicket in yet another lbw, where the batsman scored 40 off 30 balls. 

Also read: Shane Warne: The man who breathed life into dying art of leg-spin

Tendulkar posted after hearing of Warne’s death, “Shocked, stunned & miserable…Will miss you Warnie. There was never a dull moment with you around, on or off the field. Will always treasure our on field duels & off field banter. You always had a special place for India & Indians had a special place for you. Gone too young!”