- Joined
- May 8, 2002
- Posts
- 1,270,328
- Reaction score
- 59
You must be registered for see images attach
Blind ranking: Aaron Finch picks Sachin Tendulkar as No.1 90s cricketer, later removes India icon for Australia legend originally appeared on Cricket News. Add Cricket News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
KEY TAKEAWAYS:
- Aaron Finch initially ranked Sachin Tendulkar No.1, but later was inclined to swap for Shane Warne.
- Blind ranking exercise sparks discussion on their legendary 90s rivalry.
- Tendulkar dominated their most iconic clashes in Sharjah and India in 1998.
Aaron Finch's blind ranking slip-up reignites the Tendulkar-Warne debate
Former Australia captain Aaron Finch found himself in an unexpected spot of bother during a blind ranking exercise of iconic 1990s cricketers, initially placing Sachin Tendulkar at the very top, only to have second thoughts once he realised where he'd slotted Shane Warne.
Finch was asked to rank players one by one without knowing the full list in advance.
He placed Allan Donald at seven, Curtly Ambrose at three, and immediately named Tendulkar his number one pick without much hesitation. Glenn McGrath followed at four, Steve Waugh at six, and Brian Lara took the second spot. Wasim Akram was ranked fifth, leaving Warne to be revealed last at number eight.
Visibly taken aback by where his own ranking had left the Australian spin great, Finch jokingly asked if he could redo the list, though he ultimately let the rankings stand as they were.
When asked what he'd change if given another shot, Finch admitted he probably would have picked Warne as his number one instead.
You must be registered for see images attach
MORE: Harry Brook's side ends world champions India's 1,605-day reign as No. 1 ranked T20I side
WATCH: Aaron Finch's blind ranking series
An iconic rivalry that defined an era
Finch's momentary reconsideration inadvertently revived memories of one of cricket's most storied rivalries, the battles between Tendulkar and Warne throughout the 1990s.
Their first meeting came during Warne's Test debut at the SCG in 1992, though it wasn't until later in the decade that their duels truly captured global attention.
MORE: Moeen Ali wants India to bring back SKY to the national team
By 1998, when Australia toured India, the series had essentially been rebranded in the public imagination as a personal contest between the two, overshadowing the broader team rivalry entirely.
Tendulkar largely came out on top during that period, a stretch still fondly remembered as "Sachin's series." Even before the Tests began, their first real clash at peak form came in a three-day fixture between Mumbai and the touring Australians, where Tendulkar's double-century and tactical approach to countering Warne set the tone.
The rivalry reached another famous high later that year during the Coca-Cola Cup in Sharjah, where Tendulkar's blistering 143, remembered as the "Desert Storm" innings, dismantled an Australian attack led by Warne and paved the way for India's eventual tournament win. Across their 12 Test meetings, Warne managed to dismiss Tendulkar on only three occasions.
For all the latest cricket news, opinion, and commentary and to share your voice, head to our Facebook, Instagram, and X (Twitter) pages.
Continue reading...
