Would Tendulkar have achieved 20k runs in both ODI and Test Cricket each if he had not been captain?

[Savak]

He accepted the captaincy of India by the end of 1996 and gave it up around early to mid 1998. He then accepted it again in 1999 only to give it up by 2000. His performances as a player had suffered and he was not batting with the same fearless freedom and aggression as captain as he did as an individual player and his performances did dip for sure.

Then ofcourse who can forget his Tennis elbow problem in 2004 to 2006, an injury which has ended many careers of athletes.

He ended his career with 18k runs in ODI's and 15k runs in test cricket but i think without these hindrances, he would have definately achieved 20 k runs in both formats of the game.

 

[JaDed]

I think all those setbacks made him work harder at his game, so I don’t think so.

 

[Swashbuckler]

With better scheduling by BCCI he would have scored 20k test runs easily. His peak years were wasted when BCCI used to schedule 3-4 tests per year in the early 90s. No test against Pak from 1989-99, none against Australia for 7-8 years, similar scheduling against almost all test playing nations, he played his 100th test in 2001 (no major injury till then), 12 years after debut, a period where he averaged 58+ with 27 100s !!!

Root hasn't completed 10 years in international cricket and already played 125 tests.

Luckily BCCI improved in this regard and started playing more tests in the last 20 years, thought it must be said that India still doesn't have a proper home season like England, Australia, South Africa, NZ.

 

[Swashbuckler]

There was a period from late 80s to mid 90s where teams just didn't visit India for tests, neither did they invite us.

England came in 1993 for a 3 test series, their next visit was in 2001.
Australia came in 1986 (2 test series), their next proper tour to India was in 1998 (though they did play a solitary test in 1996 which they lost)
Pakistan came in 1986, after that 1999
West Indies played 3 tests here in 1994, then their next tour was in 2002 (2 tests).

Same with our overseas tours, we went to Australia in 1991, after that took 8 years to get another invite.
We played in England in 1990, 1996, 2002, test series every 6 years
We didn't play a single test in NZ from 1989 to 1998
We didn't play a single test in WI from 1988 to 1996
We didn't play a test in Pak from 1990 till 2004 series

We only regularly played against South Africa and Sri Lanka in that period.

Sachin wasted his peak years playing useless bilateral ODIs and Pepsi Cup, MRF Cup etc.

 

[TheNeutralist]

I think ODI is going to die soon with people interested more in Tests (Die hard cricket fan) and T20s(money). All Sachin's records are going to stay that way forever!

 

[SamNJ]

With better scheduling by BCCI he would have scored 20k test runs easily. His peak years were wasted when BCCI used to schedule 3-4 tests per year in the early 90s. No test against Pak from 1989-99, none against Australia for 7-8 years, similar scheduling against almost all test playing nations, he played his 100th test in 2001 (no major injury till then), 12 years after debut, a period where he averaged 58+ with 27 100s !!!

Root hasn't completed 10 years in international cricket and already played 125 tests.

Luckily BCCI improved in this regard and started playing more tests in the last 20 years, thought it must be said that India still doesn't have a proper home season like England, Australia, South Africa, NZ.

Actually Indian were a very poor away team in 90s. No wonder most top teams didn't want to play more matches with them.

 

[Swashbuckler]

Azharuddin was another person affected by our scheduling, debuted in 1984 and played till 2000, hardly missed a test in between, but couldn't even play 100 tests in such a long career.

Sidhu in his 16 years long career played just 51 tests. He missed a few series in the mid 90s but still too few tests.

 

[Swashbuckler]

Actually Indian were a very poor away team in 90s. No wonder most top teams didn't want to play more matches with them.

India was a pretty formidable team at home. Still most top teams didn't travel here. I think BCCI had wrong priorities then with ODIs being the money spinners, particularly tri-nation events. We even went to Canada to play ODIs.

Also BCCI was a lightweight entity back then I guess, SENA boards especially didn't respect Indian cricket. Pakistan was doing better economically as well as in sports administration till the late 90s.

 

[TheNeutralist]

Dont forget it was the time for AUS/ENG. They did not prefer to visit India, India was treated as a poor cricketing nation.

 

[Mas-LFC]

I think ODI is going to die soon with people interested more in Tests (Die hard cricket fan) and T20s(money). All Sachin's records are going to stay that way forever!

No.. ODI is my favourite format. It can’t die. Test has to change to 4days. T20 is the future. ODI needs to be played less maybe no more 7match series, max 5 series, minimum 2 match series. T20s bring everyone in, even associates looks decent at this format now whereas in 50 overs they lack the temperament to last long.

 

[Mas-LFC]

Tendulkar was my favourite growing up in the early 00s as a teen. I saw his 100th international ton vs BD, live while I was on holiday in BD 2012 the match which BD won.

Its a shame he didn’t get fifty 100s in ODI’s, finished on 49, he missed out on so many tons in his career. I remember in England few times he was in the late 90s but missed out on a ton, think Flintoff got him out once! The WC 2003 comes to mind man got out on 98, Akthar got him.

 

[SamNJ]

Dont forget it was the time for AUS/ENG. They did not prefer to visit India, India was treated as a poor cricketing nation.

Yeah that too. I was listening to Harsha Bhogle in some show and was shocked to listen to him saying that Eng/Aus players used to get hardship allowance when they were on tour to India.