Longer career than Sachin, more fit than Virat, played last test at the age of 52, scored 39000 runs, took more than 4000 wickets

New Delhi. In the world of cricket, where today’s players get tired or retire within 10-15 years, there was one player who defeated the best batsmen and bowlers of the world for three decades. He was not just a player, but a walking example of longevity and consistency on the cricket field. Wilfred Rhodes is such a great and incredible pillar of cricket history, whose record can never be broken even by modern era legends like Sachin Tendulkar or Virat Kohli. From making his debut in 1899 to playing his last match in 1930, Rhodes’ international career spanned a total of 30 years and 315 days.

The ‘Immortal King’ of First-Class Cricket Wilfred Rhodes’ first-class cricket statistics are so immense that they seem like something out of a fairy tale. He played a total of 1,110 first-class matches in his life. This is such a world record that it is impossible to touch it today. In his vast career, Rhodes achieved mastery not in any one discipline but in the all-round game. Starting as a bowler, moving to the middle order and then scoring so many runs as an opener shows his amazing ability. He is the only cricketer in the world to take 4,000 wickets and score more than 39,000 runs in first-class cricket.

The Ashes of 1926 and that historic comeback

The most golden and exciting chapter of Rhodes’ career was written in 1926. The prestigious Ashes series was going on between England and Australia. The first four test matches were drawn and the series was tied at 0-0. The last match to be held at the Oval was decisive. The England selectors took a very shocking and courageous decision. He called Wilfred Rhodes back into the team at the age of 48. Rhodes had played his last Test match six years earlier (in 1920). Critics felt that this decision would prove suicidal, but Rhodes changed history by taking the field. Rhodes not only played the match but also broke the back of Australia’s strong batting with his magical spin bowling. He took 6 wickets in the match (2 wickets in the first innings and 4 wickets in the second innings). Thanks to his lethal bowling, England gave a crushing defeat to Australia and captured the Ashes trophy. A 48 year old player gave England a historic victory which the country will remember for centuries.

Why ahead of Sachin-Virat?

In the cricket world, Sachin Tendulkar is called ‘God of Cricket’ because his international career lasted 24 years. Whereas Virat Kohli is known for his fitness and hunger to score runs, but Wilfred Rhodes’ record seems bigger than the stature of these two greats. Maintaining a Test career of more than 30 years, playing international cricket till the age of 52 and playing 1,110 matches—these are achievements that would take at least two lifetimes to achieve in today’s times. The life and sport of Wilfred Rhodes proves that age is just a number. If you have unwavering dedication, discipline and passion for the sport, you can create history at any age. Rhodes’ name will forever be written in gold letters on the pages of cricket, because some of the records created by him have crossed the boundaries of time and become immortal.