Cricket
Best Test Batsman of the 1990s: Tendulkar, Lara, Waugh Ranked
When discussing the 1990s era of Test cricket batting, names like Sachin Tendulkar, Steve Waugh, and Brian Lara are likely to be mentioned. These legends helped characterise a pivotal period for the five-day format, where batsmen had to stand tall against fearsome fast bowling attacks. And stand tall these batters did - wielding the willow heroically against an onslaught of pace that often came to define Test cricket in its golden era.
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SportsBoom has aimed to determine the top batsmen of the nineties, using a statistical analysis of their performances and wider media perception.
These scores have been combined for a final ranking, to see which batting legend truly mastered red-ball cricket at the turn of the century.
SB Market Index: How We Evaluate the Best Batsman of the 1990s
For this greatest test batsmen 90s era evaluation, SportsBoom combined a statistical analysis of their performances throughout the 1990s with expert and media perception to provide a comprehensive ranking known as the SB Market Index.
Industry Insights
A curated analysis from top 10 cricketing and sports media sources has measured how prominently each player is featured in discussions of the ‘greatest batsmen of the 1990s’
| Source Name | AJ Stewart | ME Waugh | MA Taylor | MA Atherton | SR Waugh | SR Tendulkar | BC Lara | PA de Silva | MJ Slater | DC Boon |
| Wisden – ‘Cricketers of the1990s’ Retrospective | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ESPNcricinfo – ‘Team of the 90s’ feature | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Cricbuzz – ‘Decade in Review: The 1990s’ | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Sky Sports Cricket – ‘90s Legends’ special | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| The Guardian – ‘Defining Cricketers of the Decade’ | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Cricket.com.au – ‘Australia's Golden Era’ | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Reddit r/Cricket – ‘Best Batsman of the 90s’ Poll | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Bleacher Report – ‘Ranking the Top 25 Batsmen of the 90s’ | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| The Cricketer – "Faces of the Nineties" article | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| TalkSPORT – ‘Best Ashes Performers of the 90s’ | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Total Mentions | 3 | 8 | 3 | 3 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 2 | 3 | 3 |
SB Score
This score is calculated based on four key career metrics during the 1990s: batting average (40% weightage), number of centuries (30% weightage), total runs (20% weightage), and strike rate (10% weightage).
| Player | Runs | Ave | SR | 100s | 50s | SB Score |
| SR Tendulkar | 5,626 | 58.00 | 54.28 | 22 | 21 | 1.000 |
| BC Lara | 5,573 | 51.60 | 62.04 | 13 | 29 | 0.803 |
| SR Waugh | 6,213 | 53.10 | 47.13 | 18 | 28 | 0.852 |
| ME Waugh | 6,371 | 41.64 | 51.93 | 17 | 37 | 0.751 |
| AJ Stewart | 6,407 | 40.80 | 48.54 | 12 | 34 | 0.697 |
| MA Taylor | 6,306 | 40.94 | 41.01 | 15 | 35 | 0.695 |
| MA Atherton | 6,217 | 38.37 | 37.72 | 13 | 38 | 0.662 |
| PA de Silva | 4,448 | 46.82 | 52.00 | 14 | 18 | 0.686 |
| MJ Slater | 4,425 | 45.15 | 52.64 | 13 | 16 | 0.655 |
| DC Boon | 4,303 | 45.29 | 39.99 | 13 | 18 | 0.640 |
SB Market Index
For these 1990s cricket legends ranked, the SB Score and Industry Insights have been combined to determine the final SB Market Index.
| Rank | Player | SB Score | Industry Insights | SB Market Index |
| 1 | SR Waugh | 0.852 | 10 | 8.170 |
| 2 | SR Tendulkar | 1.000 | 9 | 7.400 |
| 3 | BC Lara | 0.803 | 9 | 7.361 |
| 4 | ME Waugh | 0.751 | 8 | 6.550 |
| 5 | AJ Stewart | 0.697 | 3 | 2.539 |
| 6 | MA Taylor | 0.695 | 3 | 2.539 |
| 7 | MA Atherton | 0.662 | 3 | 2.532 |
| 8 | MJ Slater | 0.655 | 3 | 2.531 |
| 9 | DC Boon | 0.640 | 3 | 2.528 |
| 10 | PA de Silva | 0.686 | 2 | 1.737 |
Sachin Tendulkar of India celebrates his 50th Test century
The Unflappable Leader: Steve Waugh
Leading Australia through one of its periods of world dominance, Steve Waugh exemplified the ethos of a captain: determined, strategic and unwavering.
As a fielder and leader, he took charge and as a batsman, he excelled at lengthy stints at the crease, reflected in an SB Score driven by a high average.
Waugh’s top ranking in the SB Market Index is also due to a perfect Industry Insights score, indicative of respect he commanded on and off the pitch.
Rated consistently as the best batsman of the 1990s, the former skipper also earned plaudits for his attitude outside of the game through his philanthropy.
The Twin Geniuses: Tendulkar and Lara
Ending close to each other in the SB Market Index are two cricketers who soared for their countries and crushed Test records under their boots.
Indian legend Sachin Tendulkar is arguably the greatest player of all-time, while West Indies icon Brian Lara reached scores few could dream of.
Thanks to his impressive average of 58.00, the Little Master was a marvel of the 90s and cast a shadow over batting that has endured in years since.
Lara, meanwhile, had a strike rate exceeding 60 and also averaged above 50.00, coupled with milestones like the highest-ever individual Test score.
The Elegant Australian: Mark Waugh
Compared to the record-breakers placed before him on the SB Market Index, Mark Waugh does not boast the same level of individual success.
However, he was a hallmark of the Australian cricket boom of the 90s, using his innate grace to reach many half-centuries with seeming ease.
Waugh’s high Industry Insights score is a testament to his legacy, with his all-round performance cementing his place among the decade’s elite.
Alongside his twin brother and captain, Steve, Mark Waugh vs Alec Stewart was one of the defining scoring battles of the 90s Ashes series.
Conclusion on a Golden Era of Batting
Reflecting on the 90s cricket nostalgia era evokes many memories, with Steve Waugh’s position in this comprehensive model well earned.
Sachin Tendulkar and Brian Lara remain pioneers and icons of that Test cricket era, joined by Waugh and other legends in their own right.
In the face of fearsome bowling, these batsmen brought a depth of talent and resulted in bat-and-ball battles that defined the 1990s.
While the SB Market Index helps refine the debate about the greatest, each of these players has earned their place in Test cricket history.
Bruce Douglas has more than 12 years of experience in local news media. He has worked at all levels of print and online publication, from crime and politics to photography, newspaper layout, proofreading, mentoring, sub-editing, and leading a newsroom. He played numerous sports at the school level and enjoys keeping up to date.