The term nervous 90s refers to a batsman getting dismissed while in the 90s runs,i.e., their score is between 90 and 99 runs, just shy of a coveted century. It describes the player’s emotions as he edges closer to a century, anxious about reaching a milestone so close yet so far. Over the years, several great players have repeatedly fallen short of three figures after coming so close, making the 90s a graveyard of missed hundreds.
5. Jacques Kallis: 13 Nervous 90s
- Nationality: South Africa
- Centuries: 62
- Innings: 617
Jacques Kallis will go down as one of the greatest all-rounders in history. Despite his remarkable ability to dominate bowling attacks and rack up big scores, he was dismissed in the 90s on multiple occasions. Even though he was known as a batter with impeccable technique and a focused mindset, he wasn’t immune to such pressure.
4. Rahul Dravid: 14 Nervous 90s
- Nationality: India
- Centuries: 48
- Innings: 605
Nicknamed “The Wall”, Rahul Dravid was one of the greatest classic Test batsmen. His powers of concentration were considered almost yogic, batting 835 minutes over two innings against Australia in 2003. Yet despite these abilities and his orthodox technique, Dravid repeatedly fell short in the 90s.
3. AB de Villiers: 14 Nervous 90s
- Nationality: South Africa
- Centuries: 47
- Innings: 420
AB de Villiers was a versatile batsman, known for his impeccable technique who could hit any ball anywhere. However, even de Villiers fell just short of the 100-mark milestone on several occasions. This highlights that even the most fearless batsmen with great technique were still tested by the looming weight of a century.
2. Kane Williamson: 15 Nervous 90s
- Nationality: New Zealand
- Centuries: 48
- Innings: 441
The New Zealand skipper is renowned for his calm temperament and textbook technique. A composed batsman at the crease, he’s comfortable facing pace and spin bowlers. Williamson even has a knack for rarely displaying his emotions, yet he’s agonizingly still made this list.
1. Sachin Tendulkar: 28 Nervous 90s
- Nationality: India
- Centuries: 100
- Innings: 782
The most complete batsman, the most prolific run-maker of all time, and the only player to record 100 centuries. Sachin is arguably the biggest cricket icon the game has ever known. He leads the list by quite a margin with 28 nervous nineties.
These near misses left fans on edge as he approached the 100 centuries milestone. Despite the nervous 90s denying him several more centuries, it can be seen as a testament to his consistency of regularly racking up a high score.
Conclusion
The nervous 90s have claimed some of the biggest names in cricket, proving the pressure of reaching a century can test even the best. It not only underlines the fine line between brilliance and heartbreak but also reflects their remarkable consistency in getting so close to three figures time and again.
Written by: Thillai Ritvik
