In his extensive international playing career, Sachin Tendulkar set a number of records. He is also the most productive batter for India in the Asian Games. In six iterations of the continental competition, the veteran scored more than 900 runs. After playing his final ODI against Pakistan in the 2012 Asia Cup, The Master Blaster announced his retirement from one-day international (ODI) cricket in December of the same year.
Rohit Sharma, the captain of India, may break Tendulkar’s batting record at the forthcoming Asia Cup. In the Asia Cup, the India captain has played a significant amount of cricket and has constantly put up strong numbers. Rohit might overtake the legend in the upcoming competition, given his incredible batting statistics.
Here are five records set by Sachin Tendulkar that Rohit Sharma may smash during the competition.
1. Highest average for India in the tournament
Between 1990 and 2012, Sachin Tendulkar participated in the Asia Cup, making six appearances during that time. During the competition, the veteran played 23 one-day internationals and amassed 971 runs in 21 innings, averaging 51.10. With this astounding average, Tendulkar is just behind Sanath Jayasuriya, the former opener for Sri Lanka, whose average is 53.04.
Tendulkar could lose ground to Rohit Sharma in the forthcoming Asia Cup, though, since the latter’s batting average is currently 46.56. Rohit is currently ranked fourth in the Asia Cup for the highest average with this astounding number. He comes after the Master Blaster and is the second Indian.
Rohit became the competition’s top run-scorer at the 2018 Asia Cup after accumulating runs at a 93.51 average. His average increased as a result of his daring batting performance in 2018, which also made him the darling of Indian fans.
2. Surpassing the record of two centuries
Along with Suresh Raina, Sachin scored a few tons at the Asia Cup, making him the Indian batsman with the most centuries in the competition up until 2012. In the round-robin stage of the 1995 Asia Cup, Tendulkar achieved his first century against Sri Lanka in Sharjah. Tendulkar contributed to India’s victory by scoring an unbroken 112 off 107 after the game’s final score of 203. He also received the Player of the Match award.
2012 saw Bangladesh host Tendulkar’s second century in an Asia Cup match. This time, the seasoned player pitched a 114-run inning to record his 100th international century. In the forthcoming Asia Cup, Rohit will have the opportunity to surpass Sachin’s record for the second-most hundreds for India in the continental cup.
Rohit Sharma has only scored one century so far in the prestigious Asian tournament, but he might surpass Tendulkar’s mark of two in the next match. Rohit helped his team comfortably reach the target of 238 in 39.3 overs in the 2018 edition by playing an unbeaten innings of 111 off 119 against Pakistan.
3. Most matches for India in the tournament
Mahela Jayawardene has the record for participating in the most Asia Cup games, having played for Sri Lanka in 28 contests. Tendulkar participated in 23 matches for India, making him the Indian with the most appearances in the Asian competition.
Rohit Sharma, with 22 matches, is the player with the second-highest number of Asia Cup appearances, behind Sachin. Rohit made his Asia Cup debut in 2008 against Hong Kong, and ever since, he has played for India in every Asia Cup. India will participate in at least two games at the future Asia Cup in 2023, and if Rohit plays in both games, Sachin would be left out.
India won the Asia Cup in 2010 and again in 2018, both times with Rohit playing a key role. He led India to victory in the 2018 edition by batting and serving as captain. The veteran finished as the second-highest run-getter in the competition after scoring 317 runs in five matches at a strike rate of 93.51.
4. Feat of scoring the most half-centuries for India
With eight fifty-plus scores in the Asia Cup, former wicketkeeper and batsman Kumara Sangakkara of Sri Lanka has the most half-centuries. Sachin Tendulkar, who has seven half-centuries, is in second place after him. He notched the first half-century of the 1990 Asia Cup against Sri Lanka at the venerable Eden Gardens, which helped India win the competition.
He got a half-century again against Sri Lanka in the 1997 Asia Cup final, but India lost that match because Sri Lanka’s batters outperformed their bowlers. In 2012, against Pakistan, in Mirpur, The Master Blaster played his final Asia Cup game. He participated in this match, in which he scored a half-century and made his final ODI cricket appearance.
Rohit Sharma will have the opportunity this year to break Tendulkar and Sangakkara’s records for the most half-centuries in the Asia Cup. Rohit scored many runs, including several half-centuries, at the 2018 Asia Cup. Supporters of Indian cricket will be hoping that their captain destroys the bowling attack of the opposition this time and sets a record for the most half-centuries in an Asia Cup match.
5. Record of scoring the most runs for India
With 971 runs in 21 innings in 23 ODIs and an 85.47 strike rate, Sachin Tendulkar leads India in runs scored at the Asia Cup. He now ranks third in the tournament in terms of runs scored, after Sanath Jayasuriya and former Sri Lankan star Kumara Sangakkara.
He amassed 281 runs with three half-centuries at a strike rate of 72.42 in the 2004 tournament, becoming the team’s leading run scorer. With 745 runs in 21 innings in 22 matches and an average strike rate of 84.94, Rohit is now the second-highest run scorer for India in the Asia Cup.
For the forthcoming competition, the India captain has to hit 227 runs to pass Tendulkar in the Asia Cup standings. The India captain scored more than 300 runs in just five games during the 2018 edition of the competition. The veteran could overtake the former India mainstay this year if he puts out a similar level of effort.
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