Few bowlers embodied the sting of the India–Australia rivalry on the flip of the century fairly like Glenn McGrath. His contests with Sachin Tendulkar have been among the many defining duels of that interval, battles formed as a lot by calculation and endurance as by tempo and precision.
One of many extra curious episodes in that lengthy rivalry unfolded through the 1999 Take a look at at Adelaide Oval.
Tendulkar had solely simply arrived on the crease when McGrath determined to check him with the quick ball. What adopted grew to become one of many stranger dismissals the 2 would produce throughout years of competitors.
“I believe Sachin had confronted about 4 balls,” McGrath recalled in a freewheeling chat with Suresh Balakrishna, Chief Income Officer of the Hindu Group and Sunil Gavaskar, who offered him with the Worldwide Icon award on the Sportstar Aces Awards at Taj Mahal Palace on Friday.
“I assumed it was time to present him a bouncer. He noticed it was quick and ducked, turning side-on and crouching low.”
The ball, nevertheless, didn’t behave as anticipated.
“The ball didn’t bounce as a lot as anticipated and hit him on the shoulder. From the place I used to be standing, I might see the bails excessive of his head. I assumed the ball was hitting the stumps.”
Glenn McGrath of Australia celebrates after trapping Sachin Tendulkar of India LBW after Tendulkar ducked right into a bouncer, on Day 4 of the primary Take a look at between Australia and India, on the Adelaide Oval.
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Getty Photographs
Glenn McGrath of Australia celebrates after trapping Sachin Tendulkar of India LBW after Tendulkar ducked right into a bouncer, on Day 4 of the primary Take a look at between Australia and India, on the Adelaide Oval.
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Getty Photographs
Umpire Daryl Harper raised his finger.
Even now, McGrath says the controversy round that second has by no means fairly ended.
“Sachin and I’ve mentioned it for years. He reckons the ball was going over the stumps by a foot and a half. I assumed it was hitting. Not too long ago, we did a TV industrial collectively, and the entire level of it was that Sachin thinks I have to get my eyes checked. He nonetheless believes it wasn’t out.”
Australia would go on to win the Take a look at comfortably, however the dismissal stays one of many extra uncommon footnotes within the lengthy McGrath–Tendulkar contest.
If Adelaide carried a touch of oddity, the reminiscence of the 2001 Take a look at at Eden Gardens is one McGrath now recounts with a contact of humour.
“I don’t actually do not forget that match,” he stated, laughing.
On the time, the Australian aspect, led by Steve Waugh, appeared firmly in management. Having already gained the primary Take a look at in Mumbai by 10 wickets, it enforced the follow-on after dominating the opening three days in Kolkata.
“Steve was a really aggressive captain. In case you ask him in the present day whether or not he’d change that decision, he’d most likely nonetheless implement the follow-on,” McGrath stated.
Australia anticipated the end to reach rapidly.
“Going into day 4, we thought we’d get an early wicket and wrap issues up. Sadly, the wicket didn’t come for us till about 24 hours later.”
What adopted would change into one in every of Take a look at cricket’s biggest reversals, pushed by the brilliance of VVS Laxman and Rahul Dravid.
“It simply exhibits the standard of gamers again then. I used to be lucky to play towards guys like Laxman, Dravid, and Sourav Ganguly.”
Laxman’s innings, particularly, left a deep impression on the Australian fast.
“Shane Warne was bowling into the tough, and the ball was turning sq.. However VVS was in such superb kind. He’d see the place the ball pitched after which hit it over mid-wicket. It was unbelievable.”
With time, even a defeat of that magnitude has settled into perspective.
“We are able to stay with the truth that it took knocks of that particular type to beat us. We are able to stay with that.”
Nonetheless, there may be one reminiscence that invariably resurfaces each time McGrath finds himself in India.
Within the 2003 World Cup closing, Glenn McGrath’s early strikes (together with Tendulkar) helped Australia beat India.
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Hamish Blair
Within the 2003 World Cup closing, Glenn McGrath’s early strikes (together with Tendulkar) helped Australia beat India.
| Photograph Credit score:
Hamish Blair
“There’s one other one which comes again each time I’m right here,” he stated with a smile. “Individuals nonetheless haven’t forgiven me for the 2003 Cricket World Cup Remaining.”
On that evening in Johannesburg, McGrath’s early strikes helped Australia overwhelm India nationwide cricket crew and safe the title, including one more sharp chapter to a rivalry that not often lacked drama.
Revealed on Mar 13, 2026