Saqlain Mushtaq and Sachin Tendulkar
Pakistan spin great Saqlain Mushtaq said that he rates Sachin Tendulkar's 136 during the 1999 Chennai Test higher than Virender Sehwag's 309 in Multan 2004. Saqlain, who was involved in both matches, said that Tendulkar's knock came against a Pakistan team that was well prepared and battling to win the match whereas Sehwag's Multan knock came on a first-day pitch.
"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 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 innings are considered among the greatest in the history of the Test rivalry between India and Pakistan. Tendulkar was fighting almost a lone battle against a star-studded Pakistan bowling attack featuring Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis and Saqlain as India were looking to chase down 271 runs.
He came in at number four and battled on for 273 balls. India were on 254 when Tendulkar became the seventh man to fall for the hosts after which the innings folded within the next six overs.
Sehwag's 309 on the other hand flattened Pakistan in the first innings of the match itself in Multan and they went on to lose by an innings and 52 runs.
