Statistically he is.I don't think the 99.94 is enough said though. Yes that makes him better, but when you read more about Bradman, his average isn't even the best thing. Some of the situations in which he played his knocks is what is so ****ing brilliant
Could be the best sportsman ever.
bang onWould love seeing Ponting's and Kallis' averages after they had two decade long careers to be honest.
He topped Bombay's runscoring charts at 15(No Mean feat), scored centuries in his FC, Irani Trophy, Duleep trophy and Ranji Trophy debuts, he was absolutely immense. Think any country would give their best FC player a run with the national team at least.I really doubt it. Unless Australia was really struggling
TBF, since Tendulkar is arguably not even the best of his generation, that assertion is ridiculous because it also suggests the likes of Ponting/Lara/Richards/Chappell/etc are just as good as Bradman.Personally cannot fathom how anyone can think Tendulkar is better than Bradman. 99.94. 'nuff said
Yeh but Australian FC >> Indian FC. And still, there have been many great batsmen like Hayden, Hussey, Langer and countless others who had been imperious at FC level but had to wait a long time. Simply being very good at that level is not enough in Australia.He topped Bombay's runscoring charts at 15(No Mean feat), scored centuries in his FC, Irani Trophy, Duleep trophy and Ranji Trophy debuts, he was absolutely immense. Think any country would give their best FC player a run with the national team at least.
Not that soon though.. I mean, obviously Sachin was special, but I am sure there are a big number of guys who made 100s on debut in all the premium domestic tourneys of their nation and then went on to be duds....He topped Bombay's runscoring charts at 15(No Mean feat), scored centuries in his FC, Irani Trophy, Duleep trophy and Ranji Trophy debuts, he was absolutely immense. Think any country would give their best FC player a run with the national team at least.
Digressing by a long way, I seem to see a LOT of Ponting in Virat Kohli.. Bit of that technique, the swagger, the approach, the fielding.. Anyone else agree?Not that soon though.. I mean, obviously Sachin was special, but I am sure there are a big number of guys who made 100s on debut in all the premium domestic tourneys of their nation and then went on to be duds....
Say what you will, Sachin having the backing of blokes like Gavaskar was just as big a reason for him getting a run this quick in the national team as his talent... I believe they once showed a letter written by Gavaskar to Sachin telling that he "will" be picked for the Pak tour in 89 and he needs to be up for it and all that... That program was Amul Surabhi??? I forget that.. Obviously, it happened when I was very young, so can't trust my memory completely but I do seem to remember this.
Sachin is better than Bradman na?OT slightly, but I was having a discussion with a friend of mine (Indian living in Australia) who is quite learned about cricket and he was saying how he and a few friends were having a discussion about Tendulkar and Bradman and three out of the four of them (including him) said they rate Tendulkar slightly better than Bradman.
This dead set knocked me over. I find it amazing that some people would actually have this opinion, regardless of bias.
Suffice to say I stabbed his eye balls out with a fork.
Think it was a reference to Sir Alex's (?) idea that people who play the game know better than everyone else etc.Lots of idiots play Test cricket.
Those chaps were made to wait because they had no spot. Just like how The likes of Badri were unable to make it to national team due to presence of big 4.Yeh but Australian FC >> Indian FC. And still, there have been many great batsmen like Hayden, Hussey, Langer and countless others who had been imperious at FC level but had to wait a long time. Simply being very good at that level is not enough in Australia.
Ponting himself is a prodigy, achieving similar feats to Tendulkar, and was earmarked for the Australian test team. Yet he had to wait till he was 20 to get his shot. As GS has said, unless Australia were absolutely desperate it's doubtful Tendulkar would have made his debut as he did for India.
Be easier if didn't post it in the first place Jono, enough.Sup bigot?
Edit: Just saw Clapo's post. Whoops.
The assertion was made that the best FC player would automatically find a place in the Test team. As aforesaid, that's not necessarily been the case. And one that would be 15 would probably be risked likely even less. Also, 20 and 15 are quite different.Those chaps were made to wait because they had no spot. Just like how The likes of Badri were unable to make it to national team due to presence of big 4.
See the boot is on the other foot now. Australia is pushing hardly 20 guys like smith, hughes, josh etc which was unthinkable a few years back.
Sachin was indeed fortuitous to make his debut at such a young age, but it's challenging too because few failures and he could've been consigned to bench forever.
It was (but not Sir Alex), and all very much tongue in cheek. As Woodster nicely points out a little later, it was OT anyway.Think it was a reference to Sir Alex's (?) idea that people who play the game know better than everyone else etc.
Probably wasn't though.