Most consecutive matches for a team

Playing consistently for a team shows the dedication and also fitness of a player in any particular sport. To appear in non-stop action and play on a consistent basis is not easy for a sportsperson. But the legendary Indian cricketer Sachin Tendulkar holds this special record of featuring in the most consecutive matches for a team.

The Master Blaster appeared in 239 consecutive games for India from April 25 1990 to 24 April 1998 across formats. For eight long years, the right-handed batter featured consistently in international cricket for his team. This included 185 one-day international matches and 54 Test encounters. Tendulkar’s streak began against Sri Lanka in Sharjah in the first match of the Austral-Asia Cup in 1990, a day after his Birthday.

Interestingly, his streak ended at the same venue, and that too on his birthday. The occasion was the final of the Coca-Cola Cup against Australia in which he played one of the most breathtaking and memorable knocks of his entire career. Chasing 273, he smashed 134, which is regarded as one of the finest-ever ODI innings played.

Former Zimbabwean batter Andy Flower is in the second position behind Tendulkar, for playing 224 successive international matches. Kiwi legend Brendon McCullum finds himself in the third spot for appearing in 208 matches on the trot. Mohammad Azharuddin with 168 and Alistair Campbell with 159 games complete the list of the top five.

Having made his international debut for India in a Test match against Pakistan in Karachi in 1989, Sachin, the batting maestro, went on to play 664 matches for his country. He scored 34357 runs at an average of 48.52 with 100 centuries and 164 fifties.