Why they rank here
Sachin Tendulkar is the most prolific run-scorer the game has known. Across a 24-year international career he amassed 34,357 runs, 15,921 in Tests and 18,426 in ODIs, both records, and scored 100 international centuries, a milestone no one else has reached. He played 200 Tests and 463 ODIs, carrying the expectations of a cricket-obsessed nation from the age of sixteen. He finished his ODI career holding the first men's ODI double century, 200 not out against South Africa in 2010. Tendulkar's technique was near-flawless against pace and spin alike, and his straight drive became an emblem of orthodox batting. He finally won the World Cup at home in 2011, in his sixth attempt, on a wave of national emotion. For sheer weight of runs and longevity at the top, he is without peer.
Career profile
Each bar shows how this athlete compares with the strongest in our all-time list for that metric.
Head-to-head
Compare career numbers side by side.