Sachin Tendulkar missing from Hashim Amla's list of top 3 greatest batters

India Today

4 days ago

Former South African cricketer Hashim Amla recently made headlines with a surprising omission in his list of the three greatest batters of all time. In an interview with Star Sports, Amla named his top three, and many fans were stunned to see Indian legend Sachin Tendulkar missing from the list.Tendulkar, often referred to as the "God of Cricket," is widely regarded as the greatest batter in the game's history. He holds the record for the most runs in both Test matches and One Day Internationals. Naturally, Amla's decision to leave him out raised eyebrows across the cricketing world.advertisementSpeaking about his all-time favourite batters, Amla said: "There are so many great players over the years. Growing up, my three favourite players were Brian Lara, Steve Waugh, and Jacques Kallis, being from South Africa. But now, I'd pick three other names-Virat Kohli in recent times, AB de Villiers, and one more from the old days, Sir Vivian Richards."
Instead of Tendulkar, Amla's selections reflect a mix of modern brilliance and old-school dominance. Kohli and de Villiers symbolise contemporary excellence and innovation, while Richards epitomised fearless, explosive batting that could dismantle any bowling attack.Amla, 42, is currently playing in England for the South Africa Champions team in the World Championship of Legends. Under the captaincy of AB de Villiers, he recently scored 15 off 18 balls against the West Indies Legends in a tied match at Edgbaston, which South Africa went on to win 2-0 in a bowl-out.Amla himself is no stranger to greatness. The elegant right-hander retired with 18,672 runs in 349 international matches, admired for his calm demeanour and fluent stroke play. Given his stature in world cricket, his exclusion of Tendulkar carries significant weight-and has certainly sparked conversation.Amla, who captained South Africa in 14 Tests and nine ODIs during his playing career, is currently facing off against several of his former rivals in the ongoing World Championship of Legends. When asked which player he is most excited to play against in the coming days, Amla named none other than Chris Gayle. The self-styled "Universe Boss" is leading the West Indies Legends in WCL 2025.'Universe Boss. He's definitely the one I always look forward to watching and playing against,' Amla said.- Ends