In a recent development, Pakistan spin-bowling great Saqlain Mushtaq has stated that he rates Sachin Tendulkar’s 136 during the 1999 Chennai Test higher than Virender Sehwag’s 309 in Multan 2004. Saqlain, who was part of the Pakistan team in both these matches, said that Tendulkar’s knock came against a Pakistan team that was well-prepared and was battling to win the test.
“I rate the 130 odd runs that Sachin Tendulkar scored in the 2nd innings in the Chennai Test match ahead of the triple century scored by Virender Sehwag. Because we had gone with full preparation at that time. It was a fight, there was a battle,” Saqlain said on the Cricket Baaz talk show on YouTube.
“Here (Multan 2004), there was no fight or battle. And it was the 1st innings of the Test match, not the 2nd innings. It was the 1st innings, first-day pitch, no preparation. Some good deeds of his parents or his own good deeds worked for him.”
Both the innings are considered among the greatest in the history of Test cricket rivalry between India and Pakistan. Tendulkar was fighting against a star-studded Pakistan bowling unit and almost single-handedly won India the game as India were looking to chase down 271 runs.
The Indian batting legend came in to bat at number four and battled for 273 balls. However, Sachin was dismissed when India were on 254 runs and India went on to lose the match despite his brilliant innings.
On the other hand, Sehwag’s 309 came in the first innings of the match itself in Multan and was enough to push the opposition on to the backfoot after which they failed to get back into the game, losing the match by an innings and 52 runs.