Ajinkya Rahane Names Greatest Indian Cricketer Of All Time
In a podcast, recently retired Ajinkya Rahane was asked about the greatest Indian cricketer of all time
- NDTV Sports Desk
- Updated: August 07, 2026 04:58 pm IST
- Ajinkya Rahane called Sachin Tendulkar as the the greatest Indian cricketer of all time
- Sachin Tendulkar holds the record for most centuries in Tests and ODIs
- Tendulkar played 200 Test matches, the most by any player in that format
In India's long list of great cricketers, one name that commands an unequivocal response is Sachin Tendulkar. He holds the record for the most centuries in both Tests and ODIs, a remarkable feat, especially considering he didn't register his first ODI hundred until his 79th match. With a staggering 34,357 international runs, Sachin Tendulkar stands as the most prolific batter in cricket history. Throughout his illustrious international career, he rewrote the record books time and again, setting milestones that remain unchallenged to this day.
In a podcast, recently retired Ajinkya Rahane was asked about the greatest Indian cricketer of all time. "I think it's very hard to take one name but... probably Sachin Tendulkar. I think all the eras," Rahane replied.
Tendulkar was the most complete batter of his time, the most prolific run-maker of all time, and arguably the biggest cricket icon the game has ever known. With his unwavering patience and resilience, the 'Master Blaster' has 200 Test appearances to his name, the most by any player in the format.
Tendulkar amassed 15,921 runs, 51 centuries, and 2,058 fours, the most by any player in red-ball cricket.
Revered as India's "God of Cricket," he also became the fastest to 15,000 Test runs, reaching the milestone in just 300 innings, a distinction he holds exclusively.
With a career that spanned over 22 years and 91 days, the 53-year-old has the longest career in ODIs. With a staggering 1,894 runs and nine centuries in 1998, Tendulkar holds the record for the most runs and centuries scored in a single calendar year in the format, a feat that still stands unrivalled.
During his run in the 50-over format, Tendulkar raised his bat to celebrate 145 half-centuries and found the fence for a four on 2,016 occasions, the highest by any player the world of cricket has ever seen.
The undisputed icon, Tendulkar became the fastest to 18,000 ODI runs, reaching the milestone in just 440 innings.
With ANI inputs