IND V AUS 2020: ‘I bowled at around 165 kmph and he just smacked me for a four’ - Brett Lee relives intriguing duel with Sachin Tendulkar
Former Australian pacer Brett Lee recalled a match in which Indian legend Sachin Tendulkar made a mockery of his extreme pace by hitting him for three fours in an over with ease.
With the India-Australia Test series underway, Brett Lee was asked to pick one memory he had of his battles with Tendulkar. The Aussie went down memory lane and recalled a 2008 CB series match in which the Aussies were only defending 159 runs.
In an interview to Mid-day, Brett Lee revealed:
“There were a couple of occasions where I got Sachin out. But there’s also a game in Sydney, where I bowled at around 165 kmph and he just smacked me for a four. It was an off-drive for four. I was like ‘Wow! This guy is an absolute legend.'”
Apart from an off-drive, Tendulkar also pulled out a straight drive and a flick, both going for fours, as Brett Lee could only stand and watch.
I’m so lucky that we both got to form an amazing friendship: Brett Lee on Sachin Tendulkar
Brett Lee made his debut for Australia in 2000, and since then, the two had many intense battles. Although Brett Lee and Tendulkar were fierce rivals on the field, they enjoyed an amazing camaraderie off the pitch.
The cricketer-turned-commentator added that they had a lot of fun beyond the cricket ground. Giving more details, Brett Lee added:
“When I was touring India, I was asked by Sachin Tendulkar to join him for dinner. We went go-karting after that. Those little things might not have meant as much to him as they did to me. I was a guy coming through, getting to know him better. I’m so lucky that we both got to form an amazing friendship. We respected each other too which was important.”
Brett Lee played 76 Tests and 221 ODIs for Australia, claiming 310 and 380 wickets respectively. He retired from international cricket in 2012.