Top five partnerships involving Sachin Tendulkar

Twenty-five years ago, two boys with a never-seen-before appetite for runs etched their names in record books with a 664-run partnership in school cricket. Sachin Tendulkar, two months short of 15, and Vinod Kambli, 16, made the stalwarts take notice in style with individual scores of 326 not out and 349 not out for Shardashram Vidyamandir against St Xavier’s High School, Fort, in the Harris Shield semi-final played at Sassanian ground at Azad Maidan between February 23 and 25, 1988. The partnership was a turning point in the lives of not only the two kids but also in the lives of the millions of cricket lovers all around the world for it was the beginning of the phenomenon that we all know as Sachin Tendulkar.

While the partnership of the century stood for 25 long years, Sachin Tendulkar has come a long way since then. In 24 years of international cricket, he has etched out some humongous partnerships, sometimes building a formidable target, sometimes saving the match for the country. The fact that he has managed 71 century partnerships in Test matches and 89 century partnerships in ODI’s speaks volumes of the service, the man has dished out for the nation on the field.

Here, I venture out to list the top 5 partnerships that the Master Blaster has been a part of over the years.

5) Sachin Tendulkar- Sourav Ganguly: Considered one of the best opening pairs the format has ever produced, this was just one instance and yet noteworthy because it came against tough opponents. Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly put on together a 252-run partnership scoring 128 and 109 respectively against Sri Lanka in 1998 helping India post 307. India won the thriller by 6 runs and Sachin was promptly awarded the MOM for his blistering knock.

NAGPUR, INDIA – NOVEMBER 06: Sachin Tendulkar (R) of India celebrates reaching his century alongside team mate Sourav Ganguly during day one of the Fourth Test match between India and Australia at the Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium on November 6, 2008 in Nagpur, India. (Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images)