Across a remarkable international career spanning twenty-four years, Indian batting icon Sachin Tendulkar tackled nearly every legendary bowler of his era. Representing India in 200 Test matches, 463 One-Day Internationals, and a solitary T20 International, he faced more than 800 different bowlers on the global stage. Against nearly all of them, Tendulkar maintained an average of at least one run. Yet, the history books preserve one extraordinary anomaly: a single bowler against whom the master batter failed to score even a single run, and who also claimed his wicket.
The Rare Feat Held by Australia's Steve Smith
The only bowler in world cricket who holds this unique distinction against Sachin Tendulkar is Australian cricketer Steve Smith. While cricket fans around the globe recognize Smith today as a modern batting heavyweight, his bowling feat against Tendulkar stands out as a fascinating piece of cricket trivia. Over their entire international careers, Smith bowled to Tendulkar in Test cricket on just one single occasion, managing to dismiss the Indian legend leg before wicket.
Smith's Early Days as a Leg Spinner
Although modern cricket enthusiasts know Steve Smith primarily for his prolific run-scoring at the top of the order, he initially entered international cricket with a very different profile. In the early stages of his journey, Smith played predominantly as a frontline leg-spinner who batted down the order. Over time, he shifted his primary focus away from bowling to refine his batting craft, eventually transforming into one of the most prolific and accomplished Test batters of his generation.
The Mohali Dismissal That Sealed the Record
This unusual chapter unfolded during the Test match between India and Australia at Mohali in March 2013. When Steve Smith was introduced into the bowling attack to deliver to Sachin Tendulkar, he struck gold immediately. On the very first delivery Smith bowled to him, Tendulkar was trapped leg before wicket and had to walk back without getting off the mark. Following that match, the two never crossed paths again with ball and bat in hand, ensuring that this clean sheet record remained permanently sealed in international cricket history.
