In fact, their face-off is perhaps the pointiest of needles that added the necessary chutzpah to the India-Australia rivalry that is thriving today. And for that, Warne reckons Tendulkar to be a great contributor.
"He's someone who's been successful all over the world but what I cherish most is the battles he's had with us (Aussies) in India, in Australia and around the world," says the retired spin king.
"Australia was the undisputed world champion for more than a decade and it was during that time he dominated us. That is what makes him special. He's also special because that domination came in all kinds of conditions and against all kind of attacks. It is his temperament that set him apart," Warne added.
The former Aussie leg-spinner says that his most abiding memory of Tendulkar batting will always be the century he scored in Sydney in 1992.
"It was my debut, how can I get over that? I did realise that I was up against someone very special, but it gradually settled down in knowing how special he was," says Warne.
There's always been a mutual respect the two cricketers have shared for each other. That is possibly also because, together, they'd been Don Bradman's special guests at his home in Australia that year.
"I was yet to make a big splash perhaps for the Don to take notice. But he'd been watching Tendulkar and it certainly showed, when we met him, that he liked the way Sachin batted," recollects the bowler.
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