Statistics are like bathing suits. what they reveal are promising. what they conceal are vital.
This statement aptly answers this posting by cricinfo website
With all due respect to sachin's greatness here is where he lacks in ODI....
Apart frm few innings(134 Vs australia at sharjah in 1998,98 vs pakistan in WC-2003,138 vs srilanka in Compaq cup-2009) did he ever guide india to victory in an important match?
In World Cup 2003 finals when the whole nation expected a big score from him to beat Australia, he got out in the very first over for four.
In World cup 2007 against Sri Lanka he went out for a duck to a bowler who was massacred by Adam Gilchrist in the World Cup finals.
Compare Sachin’s record to that of Steve Waugh and Ricky Ponting or even Adam Gilchrist.
Waugh played many memorable individual innings, including his highest Test score of 200 against the fearsome West Indies pace attack in Kingston, Jamaica in 1995 to spearhead a series victory,Waugh was part of two World Cup winning squads – one as a captain and other as a player. Just recall the innings he played against South Africa during the 1999 World Cup pool match in Leeds, England when he made 120 not out in a game Australia needed to win to stay alive in the competition.That is what is called great innings – showing class when the odds are cast highly unfavorable to you...
Also take Ricky Ponting – 3 World Cup victories – 2 as captain and 1 as a player. The innings he played against India during the World Cup final in 2003 is just sufficient to make him great.Everyone knows that match almost ended after his innings. The grand stage – World Cup final – and he delivered with unbeaten 140. ...
Take Adam Gilchrist and remember the innings which he played in WC-2007 final....Big stage and Big innings.....
Some people argue that cricket is a team game and Sachin alone can’t lift the Indian cricket team to victory. The other 10 players have equal responsibility. Agreed. Teams play to win and if one player is considered as a great player then he should have the capacity to lift the team at time of crisis and during important matches. Sachin fails to rise during most of the important matches....
If you are asked to name great soccer players I am sure majority will be answering Maradona or Ronaldo or Pele. Why are they great? Take Maradona for example. Those who watched 1988 World Cup will know how he helped his team to lift the World Cup. If my memory is correct he scored only 5 goals but he created so many scoring opportunities to his teammates that helped Argentina win the World Cup, same with Pele and Ronaldo. Their contributions were immense in their team winning major tournaments around the world.....
You cannot rely on him thats why we need to name Rahul Dravid as Mr.Dependable not sachin, inspite of the fact that sachin scored around 30 k runs in international cricket....
