Sachin Tendulkar

Lore & Background

Sachin Tendulkar was born into a Marathi family in Bombay. His father, Ramesh Tendulkar, was a novelist and poet; his mother, Rajni, worked in insurance. Named after music director Sachin Dev Burman, he had three older siblings. As a child, he idolised tennis player John McEnroe and was considered a bully. To curb this, his elder brother Ajit introduced him to cricket in 1984, taking him to coach Ramakant Achrekar at Shivaji Park. Achrekar accepted him after a second, unobserved trial. Tendulkar later shifted to Sharadashram Vidyamandir School and trained intensively, winning 13 one-rupee coins from Achrekar for not getting dismissed in practice sessions.

Tendulkar made his Test debut on 15 November 1989 against Pakistan in Karachi at age sixteen. He represented Mumbai domestically and India internationally for over 24 years. In 2002, Wisden ranked him the second-greatest Test batsman of all time behind Don Bradman and the second-greatest ODI batsman behind Viv Richards. He was part of the joint-winning team of the 2002 ICC Champions Trophy and the Indian team that won the 2011 Cricket World Cup, his first win in six World Cup appearances. He was named Player of the Tournament at the 2003 World Cup.

Tendulkar received the Arjuna Award (1994), Khel Ratna (1997), Padma Shri (1998), and Padma Vibhushan (2008). After his last match in November 2013, he was awarded the Bharat Ratna, India's highest civilian award, becoming the first sportsperson and, as of 2024, the youngest recipient. He retired from all forms of cricket in November 2013 after his 200th Test match, having played 664 international matches and scored 34,357 runs. In 2013, he was included in an all-time Test World XI for Wisden's 150th anniversary, one of only two specialist post–World War II batsmen alongside Viv Richards.

Reader's Guide

Sachin Tendulkar's significance lies in his unparalleled longevity and consistency in international cricket. Over a 24-year career, he amassed a record 34,357 runs across 664 matches, including 100 international centuries—a feat no other batsman has achieved. His impact extended beyond statistics: he became a symbol of national pride in India, with Time listing him among the world's most influential people in 2010. He received the Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy for cricketer of the year at the 2010 ICC Awards and was inducted into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame in 2019. His legacy includes being the first sportsperson awarded the Bharat Ratna, India's highest civilian honor. Tendulkar also served as a Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha by presidential nomination from 2012 to 2018. His career highlights include being ranked second only to Don Bradman in Test batting by Wisden in 2002, and playing a key role in India's 2011 World Cup victory. His domestic career included four Ranji Trophy titles with Mumbai and record centuries on debut in three domestic first-class tournaments. Tendulkar's influence on cricket and Indian society remains profound, marking him as a transformative figure in the sport.

Did You Know?

• Tendulkar was named after his father's favorite music director, Sachin Dev Burman.
• As a child, he idolized tennis player John McEnroe and grew his hair long to emulate him.
• He was a ball boy during the 1987 Cricket World Cup semifinal between India and England in Bombay.
• He scored a century on debut in all three of India's domestic first-class tournaments: Ranji, Irani, and Duleep Trophies.

Notable Quotes (Wikiquote)

"The only thing that was on my mind was, 'I want to play for India one day,' and I was pretty sure and confident that one day I will." — Sachin Tendulkar "When people throw stones at you, you turn them into milestones." — Sachin Tendulkar "I hate losing and cricket being my first love, once I enter the ground it's a different zone altogether and that hunger for winning is always there." — Sachin Tendulkar "Tendulkar said when interviewed about his retirement, Tendulkar retirement interview." — Sachin Tendulkar