Sachin Tendulkar came close to playing in the BBL! Official video reveals shocki – The Day Melbourne Stars Almost Signed Sachin Tendulkar: A Cricket History ‘What If’

Rafiq Hasan · 27/05/2026 · 4 min read

An Unlikely Proposal for the Master Blaster

For cricket enthusiasts, the image of Sachin Tendulkar wearing anything other than the blue of India or the blue and gold of the Mumbai Indians often feels surreal. Yet, a remarkable revelation from former Melbourne Stars president Eddie McGuire suggests that the ‘God of Cricket’ came tantalizingly close to donning the green jersey of an Australian Big Bash League (BBL) side.

The Strategy Behind the Madness

The proposal, which sounds like something out of a dream sequence for cricket purists, was born out of frustration regarding player availability. During the early days of the BBL, franchises often found themselves depleted as their star players were called away to international duty, sometimes leaving teams without their core performers for extended periods. McGuire, seeking a way to counteract this talent drain, devised a plan that would have been the biggest commercial and sporting coup in the history of the league.

“I was just thinking about the international angle because I was lobbying at times when they started taking all our players,” McGuire explained in an official video shared by the Melbourne Stars. He highlighted the absurdity of the situation where players would travel across the country, sit on a team bus, and never actually make it onto the pitch. His solution was simple: if the league could take his local talent, he should be allowed to bring in a massive international icon.

The Dream Pairing: Tendulkar and Warne

McGuire’s ambition did not stop at simply bringing in any international player. He had his sights set on the absolute peak of the sport. His vision was to recruit Sachin Tendulkar as the team’s marquee batter and pair him with the late, legendary Shane Warne as the strike bowler. The goal was to create an event so significant that it would transcend the domestic league and become a global sporting phenomenon.

“I actually said at one stage, ‘If I can go and get Sachin Tendulkar, I’ll fill this ground five times over,'” McGuire recounted. The scale of his vision was immense: he wanted the duo to play in a grand final, a move he believed would have required putting giant screens in the park to accommodate the overflow of fans. It would have undoubtedly been the largest cricket match in Australian history, a singular night of T20 action featuring two of the greatest players to ever grace the game.

Why It Never Happened

Despite the grand nature of the proposal, the dream never saw the light of day. Sachin Tendulkar, who officially announced his retirement from international cricket in November 2013, remained steadfast in his decision to step away from the professional game. The Master Blaster, known for his integrity and commitment to his choices, did not revise his retirement plans for the sake of a franchise appearance.

While the prospect of seeing the Indian icon in the BBL remained a tantalizing “what if,” fans did eventually get to see the two legends share the field in other capacities. Tendulkar and Warne famously played together for the same side during the 2015 Cricket All Stars series. Furthermore, in 2020, cricket fans were treated to a special sight when Tendulkar stepped out in a yellow jersey for the Bushfire Cricket Bash, an exhibition match dedicated to raising funds for the victims of Australia’s devastating wildfires.

A Legacy That Transcends Borders

This episode serves as a testament to the colossal stature of Sachin Tendulkar. Even years after his retirement, the mere thought of him stepping onto a cricket field in a different league was enough to stir the imagination of administrators and fans alike. While the Melbourne Stars’ plan remained a pipe dream, the story itself highlights the unique influence Tendulkar held—and continues to hold—over the world of cricket. Whether it was the IPL, the international stage, or a hypothetical BBL appearance, the Master Blaster’s presence always promised to elevate the sport to new heights.

Ultimately, while the green jersey never happened, the legacy of Sachin Tendulkar remains perfectly intact, defined by the countless iconic performances he delivered against Australia throughout his illustrious career. For now, fans are left to ponder what might have been had the stars aligned for that historic night in Melbourne.

Rafiq Hasan

Rafiq Hasan is the chief cricket correspondent for The Daily Star, Bangladesh's largest English-language newspaper. Over his two-decade career, he has chronicked the rise of Bangladesh cricket from perennial underdogs to a formidable force in world cricket. Hasan has covered every major ICC event featuring Bangladesh and reported from the press boxes of Lord's, the MCG, and Mirpur. He has a deep understanding of the country's cricket ecosystem—from the Dhaka Premier League rivalries to the politics of the BCB. Known for his balanced analysis and insider access to the dressing room, he wrote the widely acclaimed long-form series "Tigers' Roar: How Bangladesh Changed the Cricket Map." A graduate of the University of Dhaka, Hasan is also a respected voice on global cricket diplomacy, exploring how the sport affects the balance of power in South Asia.