Waqar Younis reminisces about Sachin Tendulkar’s first Test as the little master is inducted into ICC Hall of Fame

The Little Master and arguably the greatest batsman ever to play the game, Sachin Tendulkar was inducted into the ICC Hall of Fame recently. He was accompanied by former South African pacer Allan Donald. Tendulkar was recently in England, enjoying his commentary stint with Star Sports, the official broadcaster during the ICC World Cup 2019.

There was a lot of noise made when Anil Kumble and Rahul Dravid were inducted into the Hall of Fame before Tendulkar, but the official reason was that the player should be retired for at least 5 years before being considered for induction and given that Kumble retired in 2008 and Dravid in 2012, they were inducted before Sachin, who retired in 2013.

Lots of tributes flowed in from his contemporaries and former teammates, but one person had something special to say to him. Former Pakistan coach and Captain Waqar Younis had an interesting rivalry with Tendulkar, given that they both made their Test debuts in the same match in 1989 in Pakistan and also played in the marquee 2-Test series in India in 1999

Younis, who himself is a member of the illustrious ICC Hall of Fame, had some kind words to say for the little master on Twitter. He messaged, “I can’t forget a little inning he played at Sialkot 1989 and a Hundred????at Chennai 1999.. From pitch side to the commentary box.. Thirty unbelievable and amazing years.. Lovely sharing commentary box with you #LittleMaster @sachin_rt #CWC19”

I can’t forget a little inning he played at Sialkot 1989 and a Hundred????at Chennai 1999.. From pitch side to the commentary box.. Thirty unbelievable and amazing years.. Lovely sharing commentary box with you #LittleMaster @sachin_rt #CWC19 pic.twitter.com/8XNPfjCA1t

— Waqar Younis (@waqyounis99) July 19, 2019

Sachin Tendulkar’s Test career began with a baptism of fire at the hands of Imran Khan, Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis at the age of 16, but the young bloke quickly got the hang of international cricket and became the then second-youngest cricketer to make a Test century, when he scored an unbeaten century against England in Manchester in 1990.

Furthermore, he went on to become the first batsman to score 10,000 runs in ODI cricket, first to play 200 Tests and ended up with 34,347 runs including 100 centuries and 164 half-centuries for India, before calling time on his career in 2013.

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Tendulkar holds varieties of records in batting and was also the first male cricketer to make a double-hundred in ODI cricket. Meanwhile, Younis retired in 2003 with 789 wickets in 349 international matches for Pakistan.