Top News

Ex-Australian cricketer Michael Hussey jokingly explained that he would have ended his career with 5,000 more runs than Indian icon Sachin Tendulkar had he begun playing for the national team at a younger stage. Hussey is one of the most successful batsmen in all formats, scoring 12,398 runs at an average of 49, with 22 tons in 302 games. 

Although having a productive domestic career, Hussey's international career started relatively late when he was 28 years old. He was a member of Australia's squads which won the 2007 ODI World Cup, as well as the Champions Trophies in 2006 and 2009. 

Here is what Hussey said on The Grade Cricketer YouTube Channel:

"I've thought about it a lot. I'd probably be about 5,000 runs past Sachin Tendulkar, the leading run-scorer in the game. Most centuries, most wins, most Ashes wins, and the most World Cup wins, probably all those things. And then, unfortunately, I wake up in the morning and it's just a dream. I would have loved an opportunity earlier, but the good thing for me was that when I got picked, I had a great understanding of my game,” 

The left-handed batter boasted an incredible first-class record, scoring nearly 23,000 runs at an average of 52, including 61 centuries in 273 matches. However, a dominant Australian lineup in the late 1990s and early 2000s prevented him from breaking into the national side sooner. 

Also Read: Did Starc Just Bowl the Fastest Ball in History? 176.5 kmph Delivery Stuns Fans

Hussey was known for his reliability and match-winning ability, but his comparatively late introduction restricted his overall tally in comparison to Tendulkar. Tendulkar is the record run-scorer in Tests and ODIs with 15,921 and 18,426 runs, respectively. Hussey had 6235 Test runs, which was nearly 10,000 less than Tendulkar in red-ball cricket, and 5442 ODI runs, close to 13,000 short of the God of Cricket. 

Surprisingly, Hussey surpassed Tendulkar in T20Is, scoring 721 runs while Sachin managed just one match in the format. Altogether, Hussey fell 78 centuries short of Sachin in international cricket. 

Michael Hussey's comment that he had scored 5,000 more runs than Sachin Tendulkar was said in humor, but it serves to illustrate how his delayed debut had an impact on his career statistics.

Though he made his international debut at the age of 28, Hussey's consistency, cool head, and game-winning capability made him Australia's most admired batter. His tale is testimony to the fact that talent finds an opportunity, even if it comes late, and his contribution is greatly cherished in the annals of Australian cricket.