What if cricket never saw the genius of Sachin Tendulkar? Let’s explore how the record books would have changed if other legends had taken his place at the top. (Data sources: ESPNcricinfo, ICC records)
Jayasuriya would dominate with 48 Man of the Match awards in ODIs.
Sanath Jayasuriya - King of the Match
Sachin's Record: 62 awards, the highest ever.
Kohli would shine with 9 Man of the Series awards in ODIs.
Virat Kohli - Master of Series
Sachin's Record: 15, an unmatched tally.
Ponting would lead the World Cup scoring charts with 1,743 runs.
Ricky Ponting - World Cup Run Machine
Sachin's Record: 2,278 runs, still unbeaten.
Sehwag would have become the first to hit a double century, scoring 219.
Virender Sehwag - First ODI Double Centurion
Sachin's Record: The original milestone setter with 200*
Sangakkara would top the charts with 28,016 runs across formats.
Kumar Sangakkara - All-Time Run Machine
Sachin's Record: 34,357 runs, a mountain to climb.
Sangakkara would boast 153 fifties in international cricket.
Kumar Sangakkara - Fifty King
Sachin's Record: 164, keeping him ahead.
Anderson, with 183 Test matches, would showcase incredible longevity.
James Anderson - Test Ironman
Sachin's Record: 200 Tests, the ultimate benchmark.
Kohli’s stunning form in 2017 would see him score 1,761 ODI runs.
Virat Kohli - Record Year
Sachin's Record: 1,894 runs in 1998, the highest in one year.
Even in an alternate reality, Sachin Tendulkar's records would remain the gold standard of cricket. His legacy is truly irreplaceable.