Tendulkar 16th in all-time longest careers list

Sachin Tendulkar will become the 16th player in the history of the game to have an international career spanning more than 20 years tomorrow but the champion batsman is still well short of former English all-rounder Wilfred Rhodes’s mark.

Tendulkar, who completes 20 years in international cricket tomorrow, occupies the 16 place in the longest Test careers list.

In his Test career spanning 19 years 143 days days till date, he has represented India in a record 159 Tests.

Tendulkar will reach the milestone of 20 years and one day when he comes out to play against Sri Lanka in the first Test of the three-match series in Ahmedabad on Monday.

However, Tendulkar is unlikely to dislodge Rhodes from the top of the longest Test career chart as the former English all-rounder has a unique record of representing his country for 30 years 315 days from June 1, 1899 to April 12, 1930.

However, interruption in cricket matches during the World Wars played a big part in Rhodes having such a long career.

While he occupies the 16th spot in longest Test careers list, the Indian batting great is placed in the second position behind Pakistan’s Javed Miandad in the longest ODI careers chart.

Tendulkar, whose ODI’s career till date spans 19 years and 325 days, has represented India in a record 436 50-over matches, while Miandad limited overs career lasted for 20 years and 272 days.

Veteran Sanath Jayasuriya is at the third sport in the longest ODI careers with the left-hander representing Sri Lanka for 19 years and 275 days till date.

Tendulkar is also the lone playing cricketer to feature in the longest Test careers list and it would be difficult for others to break this record, like his many other feats.

Incidentally, Tendulkar has also surpassed Sir Don Bradman in the over all longest Test careers list. The former Australian batting great is at the 19th place with a career spanning 19 years 262 days.

English duo of Dennis Brown Close and Frank Wooley occupy the second and third place respectively.

Close played 26 years 356 days for England, while Wooley’s career spanned for 25 years 13 days.