Sachin Tendulkar top-scores with 77 vs WI on Sourav Ganguly's India debut; watch video

Former Indian captain and current BCCI President Sourav Ganguly made his international debut as a cricketer against West Indies in 1992 during the Benson and Hedges World Series. While the ‘Bengal Tiger’ may not have been able to generate much buzz on his debut, his teammate Sachin Tendulkar clearly made headlines with a superlative knock. Interestingly, the Sourav Ganguly debut match was Tendulkar’s 27th ODI and the latter was just aged 18 at the time.

Also Read | Sachin Tendulkar Bats For Some Percentage Of Fans To Be Allowed In Cricket Stadiums

A throwback to Sourav Ganguly debut: Sachin Tendulkar shines against West Indies

The Indian team, under the leadership of Mohammad Azharuddin, toured Australia for a Benson and Hedges World Series between December 1991 and January 1992. It was a triangular tournament involving West Indies and hosts Australia as the remaining two teams. Sourav Ganguly made his international debut in the ninth match of the series against West Indies at Brisbane.

India, winning the toss and opting to bat first, slumped to 35-4 at one stage. However, an 18-year-old Sachin Tendulkar held his fort even as the entire batting order crumbled in front of him at the other end. He was joined by Sourav Ganguly and the two stretched India’s score to 62 before the left-hander lost his wicket for just 3 runs off 13 balls, having been trapped lbw off Anderson Cummins' bowling.

But the ‘Master Blaster’ batted with the tail and took India’s total to 191. Tendulkar scored 77 runs off 127 balls in the process, which included five boundaries during his two-and-a-half-hour stay at the crease. In response, the West Indies batsmen overhauled India’s total with six wickets and nine balls to spare.

Also Read | Sourav Ganguly, Sachin Tendulkar Turned Their Careers Around Courtesy One Ex-India Player

Watch Sachin Tendulkar’s 77 against Curtly Ambrose and co. on Sourav Ganguly debut

Also Read | Sachin Tendulkar Congratulates BCCI President-elect Sourav Ganguly

Chronicling the fabled Tendulkar Ganguly partnership

Both Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly enjoyed a glorious cricketing career after their respective debuts. While Tendulkar plundered several batting records to become one of the greatest batsmen in the world, Ganguly became one of the finest Indian captains of all time. Moreover, the two cricketers even formed a destructive opening pair for India in ODIs.

In 136 ODI matches facing the new ball together for the ‘Men in Blue’, the Tendulkar Ganguly partnership yielded 6,609 runs at an average of 49.32. Their pair remains the most successful opening combination of all time, clearing the second placed Adam Gilchrist and Matthew Hayden’s pair by 1,237 runs.

Also Read | Master Blaster Sachin Tendulkar Gets A Heartfelt Tribute From BCCI On 47th Birthday, Watch

Image source: ICC Twitter

Video credit: Robelinda 2