Legendary Indian batsman Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar has been named Greatest of All Time (G.O.A.T) batsman in the 21st century in Test cricket. Sachin was selected above legendary cricketers Jacques Kallis, Ricky Pointing, and Steve Smith ( the player with the second-highest ICC rating point in history test cricket )
A Fantastic jury of 50 members was put together by India’s largest sports broadcaster; Star Sports ahead of the marquee ICC World Test Championship ( WTC ) Final between India and New Zealand at Ageas Bowl, Southampton.
On the bowling side of things, Sri Lankan spin bowling legend Muttiah Muralitharan was selected as the G.O.A.T in Test cricket in the 21st century leaving behind legendary names like Spin King Shane Warne, Proteas pacer Dale Steyn and Aussie Fast bowler Glenn McGrath.
Sachin and Muralitharan will be remembered for ages for their remarkable contribution to the game of cricket. The most fascinating thing about naming these two players G.O.A.T is they are the players at the top when it comes to Runs scored and Wickets picked in the purest format of the game. Sachin Tendulkar has 15921 runs in his career and on the other hand, Muttiah Muralitharan scalped 800 Test wickets, the record of 800 Test wickets is among the records which seem unbreakable.
The verdict is out & it's the Lankan 🦁 – Muttiah Muralitharan who's been voted the #GOATOfThe21stCentury – Men’s Test Bowler! 👏
Who did you vote for?#Muralitharan pic.twitter.com/r7SQyOTQ68
— Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) June 20, 2021
While Talking exclusively on Star Sports’ show Cricket Live, during the ICC World Test Championship (WTC ) Final between India and New Zealand, former English captain Nasser Hussain talked about Sachin Tendulkar after he was picked as the Greatest of All Time (G.O.A.T) Test batsman of the 21st century.
“There are some great candidates and any of these (GOAT nominees) would be worthy winners. I mean, it’s not just the stats between those hundreds you get. I think it’s sometimes too driven by stats. This occasion has shown it – here today in the final – it’s about how you handle pressure; how you cope with pressure. Also, an ambassador for the game, Sachin, was a great ambassador for cricket from India. When he speaks, people listen.”
While Talking exclusively on Star Sports’ show Cricket Live, during the ICC World Test Championship (WTC ) Final former Indian batsman VVS Laxman talked about why Sachin is 21st century Test G.O.A.T.
“I’ve played alongside him for so long. Sachin played under different captains. I think in 2000 he decided that he is not going to captain anymore. And such a senior player, such a legend of the game. But to adjust & contribute to the progress of Indian cricket under different captains, and to help them flourish as captains, is something only a role model and inspiration like Sachin can do – which he did well.
The legacy that he left-back is not only scoring hundreds, double hundreds, 100 hundred, but also the way he inspired the younger generation of Indian cricketers and the world cricketers. I still remember, Kane Williamson in his debut Test match in Ahmedabad; chatting with Sachin, understanding the game. As recently as the IPL, which just finished, we had a long chat with Sachin; talking about his tennis elbow injury. So, not only the Indian cricketers got inspiration from Sachin, but all the cricketers from all over the world got inspiration from him and that’s why he is the greatest.”
Former Indian cricketer Sanjay Bangar talked about Muralitharan named as Test G.O.A.T bowler of 21st century on Star Sports’ show Cricket Live and said:
“I thought Anil Kumble would feature in the list because he’s somebody who’s won a lot of matches for India, 619 test wickets. And doing that without the ability of a Shane Warne or without variation and guile of somebody like a Muralitharan, it was a phenomenal achievement for Anil and India. But I will have to give it to Muttiah Muralitharan purely for the reason that he didn’t have the luxury of some pressure being applied from the other end except for somebody like Chaminda Vas, he had to do it all alone. I think for that particular reason, for having the record alone for having shouldered the responsibility of an international attack, it has to be Muralitharan.”
Talking exclusively on Star Sports’ show Cricket Live, during the ICC World Test Championship (WTC ) Ravishing batsman VVS Laxman lauded Muralitharan become G.O.A.T Test bowler of 21st century.
“I was privileged to be against all these greats of the game. Steyn, for someone who could swing the ball, not only the conventional swing but also the reverse swing, used to suffocate you and get you out. The presence of Shane Warne had on the cricket field was just unbelievable.
But for me, it has been Muttiah Muralitharan – the greatest of all time bowler of the 21st century – because he is one spinner who troubled all the batsmen around the world, not only in Sri Lanka, not only in the subcontinent conditions but apart from Australia, everywhere in the world. He has been the greatest of all time. It is not only about statistics, and also not just the number of wickets. He has got 800 Test wickets is a big achievement, the way he bamboozled batsmen. I could see the fear in the eyes of the batsmen when facing Muralitharan,” VVS Laxman said.
To celebrate the historic first-ever World Test Championship final, Star sports organized a huge event to pick the Greatest of All-time Test batsman, Test Bowler, and Test All-Rounder of the 21st century. The winners were selected by a special 50-member jury, which contained legends like Sunil Gavaskar, Ian Bishop, Harbhajan Singh, Shane Watson, Scott Styris, Gautam Gambhir, and among other sports journalists and coaches.
