Former Australian cricketer Michael Hussey has made a bold claim about his career achievements compared to Indian cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar. Reflecting on his late entry into international cricket, Hussey noted that starting earlier could have greatly increased his run tally and potentially put him ahead of Tendulkar in the record books. Hussey, who made his international debut for Australia at the age of 28, is widely respected for his consistency and contribution across all formats. However, his overall career numbers remain well below Tendulkar’s, largely due to his late start.
Affectionately known as “Mr. Cricket”, Hussey enjoyed a dominant domestic career before finally breaking into the Australian national side. His consistent performances drew comparisons with some of the game’s greatest players, but Tendulkar’s towering records continued to be the benchmark. During a conversation on The Grade Cricketer’s YouTube channel, Hussey joked about how different his stats might have been had he been given the chance earlier. “I’ve thought about it a lot,” Hussey said. “I would probably be about 5,000 runs behind Sachin Tendulkar, the top run-scorer in the game.
During his international career, Hussey scored 12,398 runs across all formats, including 22 centuries in 302 matches. His Test tally was 6,235 runs while he made 5,442 runs in ODIs. Both figures are well short of Tendulkar’s 15,921 Test runs and 18,426 ODI runs. However, in the shortest format, Hussey finished with 721 T20I runs compared to Tendulkar’s just 10 runs in a single T20I appearance.
“I’d probably be around 5,000 runs past Sachin Tendulkar… Most centuries, most wins, most Ashes and most World Cup wins, probably all those things. And then unfortunately I wake up in the morning and it’s just a dream. I would have liked to get the opportunity earlier, but the good thing for me was that when I was picked, I understood my game very much.”
Hussey’s international debut came after years of dominance in domestic cricket where he amassed nearly 23,000 first-class runs at an average of 52, including 61 centuries in 273 matches. His belated opportunity was largely due to the strength of the Australian team at the turn of the 1990s and 2000s, making it incredibly difficult for newcomers to break through.
In contrast, Tendulkar made his India debut at the age of 16 and went on to build a career that spanned 24 years. He remains the leading run-scorer in both Tests and ODIs and holds the record for most international centuries with a stunning 100. Hussey, in comparison, finished his career with 22 international centuries, 78 fewer than the Indian legend.
While Hussey’s remarks were made in a lighthearted and reflective tone, his career remains highly respected for its consistency and impact. In 2007, he was a key figure in Australia’s ODI World Cup and Champions Trophy winning teams. His contributions continue to be appreciated in cricketing circles and his comments revive a long-standing conversation about how early opportunities – or the lack of them – can shape sporting legacies.
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Issued by:
Kingshuk Kusari
Published on:
October 22, 2025
