Introduction
Sachin Tendulkar, fondly known as the “God of Cricket,” is a name etched in the hearts of cricket enthusiasts worldwide. With an illustrious career spanning over two decades, Sachin Tendulkar remains an iconic figure in sports, symbolizing excellence, dedication, and unparalleled skill. Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar born 24 April 1973) is an Indian former international cricketer who captained the Indian national team. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest batsmen in the history of cricket.
Hailed as the world’s most prolific batsman of all time, he is the all-time highest run-scorer in both ODI and Test cricket with more than 18,000 runs and 15,000 runs, respectively. He also holds the record for receiving the most player of the match awards in international cricket. Sachin Tendulkar was a Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha by presidential nomination from 2012 to 2018.
Sachin Tendulkar took up cricket at the age of eleven, made his Test match debut on 15 November 1989 against Pakistan in Karachi at the age of sixteen, and went on to represent Mumbai domestically and India internationally for over 24 years. In 2002, halfway through his career, Wisden ranked him the second-greatest Test batsman of all time, behind Don Bradman, and the second-greatest ODI batsman of all time, behind Viv Richards.
The same year, Sachin Tendulkar was a part of the team that was one of the joint-winners of the 2002 ICC Champions Trophy. Later in his career, Tendulkar was part of the Indian team that won the 2011 Cricket World Cup, his first win in six World Cup appearances for India. He had previously been named “Player of the Tournament” at the 2003 World Cup.
Sachin Tendulkar has received several awards from the government of India: the Arjuna Award (1994), the Khel Ratna Award (1997), the Padma Shri (1998), and the Padma Vibhushan (2008). After Sachin Tendulkar played his last match in November 2013, the Prime Minister’s Office announced the decision to award him the Bharat Ratna, India’s highest civilian award. He was the first sportsperson to receive the award and, as of 2024, is the youngest recipient. In 2010, Time included Sachin Tendulkar in its annual list of the most influential people in the world. Sachin Tendulkar was awarded the Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy for cricketer of the year at the 2010 International Cricket Council (ICC) Awards.
Having retired from ODI cricket in 2012, he retired from all forms of cricket in November 2013 after playing his 200th Test match. Tendulkar played 664 international cricket matches in total, scoring 34,357 runs. In 2013, Tendulkar was included in an all-time Test World XI to mark the 150th anniversary of Wisden Cricketers’ Almanack, and he was the only specialist batsman of the post–World War II era, along with Viv Richards, to get featured in the team. In 2019, he was inducted into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame.
Early Life of Sachin Tendulkar
Born on April 24, 1973, in Mumbai, India, Sachin Tendulkar exhibited a natural flair for cricket from a young age. His elder brother, Ajit Tendulkar, played a crucial role in nurturing his talent by introducing him to coach Ramakant Achrekar. The young prodigy quickly rose through the ranks, earning a reputation as a cricketing sensation in school tournaments. Tendulkar was born at the Nirmal Nursing Home in the Dadar neighbourhood of Bombay, Maharashtra on 24 April 1973 into a Maharastrian family.
His father, Ramesh Tendulkar, was a Marathi-language novelist and poet while his mother, Rajni, worked in the insurance industry. Sachin Tendulkar’s father named him after his favourite music director, Sachin Dev Burman. Sachin Tendulkar has three older siblings: two half-brothers Nitin and Ajit, and a half-sister Savita. They were his father’s children by his first wife, who died after the birth of her third child. His brother Ajit played in Bombay’s Kanga Cricket League.
Sachin Tendulkar spent his formative years in the Sahitya Sahawas Cooperative Housing Society in Bandra (East). As a young boy, Tendulkar was considered a bully, and he often picked fights with new children in his school.
As a child, Sachin Tendulkar was interested in both tennis and cricket. He particularly idolised American player John McEnroe, and emulated his hero by growing his hair long at the age of 7 or 8 years. At this time, Sachin Tendulkar also regularly wore tennis wristbands and headbands and carried a tennis racquet with him as a sign of his love for tennis.
To help curb his bullying tendencies, his elder brother Ajit introduced Tendulkar to cricket in 1984. Ajit introduced him to cricket coach Ramakant Achrekar at Shivaji Park in Dadar. At their first meeting, Tendulkar did not play well. Ajit told Achrekar that he was feeling self-conscious due to the coach observing him, and was not displaying his natural game. Ajit requested the coach to give him another chance at playing, but watch while hiding behind a tree. This time, Tendulkar, apparently unobserved, played much better and was accepted at Achrekar’s academy.
Achrekar was impressed with Sachin Tendulkar’s talent and advised him to shift his schooling to Sharadashram Vidyamandir School, a school in Dadar that had produced many notable cricketers. He made his debut as a cricketer for Sharadashram in late 1984. Prior to this, Tendulkar had attended the Indian Education Society’s New English School in Bandra (East). He was also coached under the guidance of Achrekar at Shivaji Park in the mornings and evenings.
Sachin Tendulkar would practice for hours; if he became exhausted, Achrekar would put a one-rupee coin on the top of the stumps, and the bowler who dismissed Sachin Tendulkar would get the coin. If Tendulkar completed the session without getting dismissed, the coach would give him the coin. Tendulkar considers the 13 coins he won among his most prized possessions. While he was training at Shivaji Park, he moved in with his aunt and uncle, who lived near the park.
Besides school cricket, Sachin Tendulkar also played club cricket. In 1984, at age 11, he debuted in the Kanga Cricket League while playing for the John Bright Cricket Club. Beginning in 1988, he played for the Cricket Club of India.
In 1987, at the age of 14, he attended the MRF Pace Foundation in Madras (now Chennai) to train as a fast bowler, but the trainer, Australian fast bowler Dennis Lillee, was unimpressed and suggested that Sachin Tendulkar focus on his batting instead. On 20 January 1987, he was a substitute for Imran Khan’s side in an exhibition match at Brabourne Stadium in Bombay.
A couple of months later, former Indian batsman Sunil Gavaskar gave Sachin Tendulkar a pair of his own lightweight pads and told him to not get disheartened for not receiving the Bombay Cricket Association’s Best Junior Cricketer Award. Of this experience, Tendulkar later said, “It was the greatest source of encouragement for me”.Tendulkar served as a ball boy in the 1987 Cricket World Cup when India played against England in the semifinal in Bombay.
In 1988, while playing for Sharadashram, Sachin Tendulkar and Vinod Kambli batted in an unbroken 664-run partnership in a Lord Harris Shield inter-school game against St. Xavier’s High School. Tendulkar scored 326 (not out) in that match and scored over 1,000 runs in the tournament. This was a record partnership in any form of cricket until 2006, when it was broken by two junior cricketers in Hyderabad, India.
Debut and Early Career
Sachin Tendulkar made his international debut at the tender age of 16 against Pakistan in 1989. Facing a formidable bowling attack, he showcased resilience and determination that would define his career. His maiden Test century came against England at Old Trafford in 1990, marking the beginning of his journey as a master batsman. On 14 November 1987, at age 14, Sachin Tendulkar was selected to represent Bombay in the Ranji Trophy for the 1987–88 season, but he was not selected for the final eleven in any of the matches, though he was often used as a substitute fielder.
A year later, on 11 December 1988, aged 15 years and 232 days, Sachin Tendulkar made his debut for Bombay against Gujarat at Wankhede Stadium and scored 100 (not out) in that match, making him the youngest Indian to score a century on debut in first-class cricket. He was selected to play for the team by Bombay captain Dilip Vengsarkar, who watched him play Kapil Dev in Wankhede Stadium’s cricket practice nets, where the Indian team had come to play against the touring New Zealand team. Tendulkar followed this by scoring a century each in his Deodhar and Duleep Trophy debuts, which are also India’s domestic cricket tournaments.
Sachin Tendulkar finished the 1988–89 Ranji Trophy season as Bombay’s highest run-scorer. He scored 583 runs at an average of 67.77 and was the eighth-highest run-scorer overall. In both 1988 and 1989, he was picked for a young Indian team to tour England under the Star Cricket Club banner. In the 1990–91 Ranji Trophy final, which Bombay narrowly lost to Haryana, Tendulkar’s 96 from 75 balls was key to giving Bombay a chance of victory as it attempted to chase 355 from only 70 overs on the final day.
At the start of the 1989–90 season, while playing for Rest of India, Tendulkar scored an unbeaten century in an Irani Trophy match against Delhi.
In the final of 1995 Ranji Trophy, Tendulkar, captaining Bombay, scored 140 and 139 versus Punjab.
In the 1995–96 Irani Cup, he captained Mumbai against Rest of India. His first double century (204*) was for Mumbai while playing against the visiting Australian team at the Brabourne Stadium in 1998.He is the only player to score a century on debut in all three of his domestic first-class tournaments (the Ranji, Irani, and Duleep Trophies). Another double century was an innings of 233* against Tamil Nadu in the semi-finals of the 2000 Ranji Trophy, which he regards as one of the best innings of his career.
In total, Tendulkar was part of five Ranji Trophy finals, in which Mumbai won 4.
County cricket
In 1992, at the age of 19, Tendulkar became the first overseas-born player to represent Yorkshire, which, prior to Sachin Tendulkar joining the team, never selected players, even UK-based, from outside Yorkshire. Selected for Yorkshire as a replacement for the injured Australian fast bowler Craig McDermott, Tendulkar played 16 first-class matches for the team and scored 1,070 runs at an average of 46.52.
Early tours
Raj Singh Dungarpur is credited for the selection of Sachin Tendulkar for the Indian tour of Pakistan in late 1989, after one first class season. The Indian selection committee had shown interest in selecting Sachin Tendulkar for the tour of the West Indies held earlier that year, but eventually did not select him, as they did not want him to be exposed to the dominant fast bowlers of the West Indies so early in his career.
Sachin Tendulkar was the youngest player to debut for India in Tests at the age of 16 years and 205 days, and also the youngest player to debut for India in ODI at the age of 16 years and 238 days. Sachin Tendulkar made his Test debut against Pakistan in Karachi in November 1989 aged 16 years and 205 days. He scored 15 runs, being bowled by Waqar Younis, who also made his debut in that match. He was noted for how he handled numerous blows to his body at the hands of the Pakistani pace attack.
In the fourth and final Test match in Sialkot, he was hit on the nose by a bouncer bowled by Younis, but he declined medical assistance and continued to bat even as he his nose gushed blood. In a 20-over exhibition game in Peshawar, held in parallel with the bilateral series, Tendulkar made 53 runs off 18 balls, including an over in which he scored 27 runs bowled by leg-spinner Abdul Qadir.
This was later called “one of the best innings I have seen” by the then Indian captain Krishnamachari Srikkanth. In all, Sachin Tendulkar scored 215 runs at an average of 35.83 in the Test series, and was dismissed without scoring a run in the only One Day International (ODI) he played.
The series was followed by a tour of New Zealand in which he scored 117 runs at an average of 29.25 in Tests. He was dismissed without scoring in one of the two ODI games he played, and scored 36 in the other. On a 1990 tour to England, on 14 August, he became the second-youngest cricketer to score a Test century as he made 119 not out in the second Test at Old Trafford in Manchester.
Wisden described his innings as “a disciplined display of immense maturity” and also wrote, “He looked the embodiment of India’s famous opener, Gavaskar, and indeed was wearing a pair of his pads. While he displayed a full repertoire of strokes in compiling his maiden Test hundred, most remarkable were his off-side shots from the back foot. Though only 5ft 5in tall, he was still able to control without difficulty short deliveries from the English pacemen”.
Sachin Tendulkar’s reputation grew during the 1991–92 tour of Australia held before the 1992 Cricket World Cup. During the tour, he scored an unbeaten 148 in the third Test at Sydney, making him the youngest batsman to score a century in Australia. He then scored 114 on a fast, bouncing pitch in the final Test at Perth against a pace attack from Merv Hughes, Bruce Reid, and Craig McDermott. Hughes commented to Allan Border at the time that “This little prick’s going to get more runs than you, AB.”
Rise through the ranks
1994–96: ODI matches
Sachin Tendulkar opened the batting at Auckland against New Zealand in 1994, making 82 runs off 49 balls. He scored his first ODI century on 9 September 1994 against Australia in Sri Lanka at Colombo. He competed in 78 ODIs before scoring his first century.
Sachin Tendulkar’s rise continued when he was the leading run scorer at the 1996 World Cup, scoring two centuries. He was the only Indian batsman to perform well in the semi-final against Sri Lanka. Sachin Tendulkar fell amid a batting collapse and the match referee, Clive Lloyd, awarded Sri Lanka the match after the crowd began rioting and throwing litter onto the field.
After the World Cup, in the same year against Pakistan at Sharjah, Indian captain Mohammed Azharuddin was going through a lean patch. Sachin Tendulkar and Navjot Singh Sidhu both made centuries to set a then record partnership for the second wicket. After getting out, Tendulkar found Azharuddin in two minds about whether he should bat. Sachin Tendulkar convinced Azharuddin to bat and Azharuddin subsequently unleashed 24 runs off one over. India went on to win that match. It enabled India to post a score in excess of 300 runs for the first time in an ODI.
1998: Australian competition
Sachin Tendulkar scored 143 (131) runs in Sharjah against the Australian team in the 1998 Coca-Cola cup, including 5 sixes in an innings against Shane Warne, Damien Fleming and Michael Kasprowicz. The innings is known as the “Desert Storm” because it was interrupted by a sand storm. In 2020, a poll from the ICC declared it Tendulkar’s best ODI innings.
In early 1998, while playing in an Australian tour of India, Sachin Tendulkar scored three consecutive centuries. The focus of the tour was the clash between Tendulkar and spinner Shane Warne, both at the peak of their careers. In the lead-up to the series, Tendulkar simulated scenarios in the nets with Laxman Sivaramakrishnan. In their tour opener, Australia faced Mumbai at the Brabourne Stadium in a three-day first class match.
Sachin Tendulkar scored an unbeaten 204 runs as Shane Warne conceded 111 runs in 16 overs and Australia lost the match within three days. He also had a role with the ball in the five-match ODI series in India following the Tests, including a five wicket haul in an ODI in Kochi. Set 310 runs to win, Australia were cruising at 203 for 3 in the 31st over when Sachin Tendulkar turned the match for India, taking the wickets of Michael Bevan, Steve Waugh, Darren Lehmann, Tom Moody and Damien Martyn for 32 runs in 10 overs.
The Test match success was followed by two consecutive centuries in April 1998 in a Triangular cricket tournament in Sharjah—the first in a must-win game to take India to the finals and then again in the finals, both against Australia. These twin knocks were also known as the Desert Storm innings. Following the series, Warne ruefully joked that he was having nightmares about his Indian nemesis.
Sachin Tendulkar’s contribution in the ICC 1998 quarterfinal at Dhaka paved the way for India’s entry into the semifinals, when he took four Australian wickets after scoring 141 runs in 128 balls.
1999: Asian Test Championship, Test matches, and the World Cup
The inaugural Asian Test Championship took place in February and March 1999, involving India, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. Around 100,000 attended the first four days of the tournament, breaking a 63-year-old record for aggregate Test attendance record. In the first match, between India and Pakistan at Eden Gardens, Sachin Tendulkar was dismissed from the match after colliding with Pakistan bowler Shoaib Akhtar. The crowd reacted by throwing objects at Akhtar, and the players were taken off the field.
The match resumed after Tendulkar and the president of the ICC appealed to the crowd; however, further rioting meant that the match was finished in front of a crowd of 200 people. Sachin Tendulkar scored his 19th Test century in the second Test and the match resulted in a draw with Sri Lanka. India did not progress to the final, which was won by Pakistan, and refused to participate in the 2001–02 Asian Test Championship due to increasing political tensions between India and Pakistan.
In a Test match against Pakistan at Chepauk in 1999, the first of a two-Test series, Sachin Tendulkar scored 136 runs; India lost the match by 12 runs.
Sachin Tendulkar’s father, Ramesh Tendulkar, died during the 1999 Cricket World Cup. Sachin Tendulkar flew back to India to attend the final rituals of his father, missing the match against Zimbabwe. He returned to the World Cup, scoring a century (140 not out of 101 balls) in his very next match against Kenya in Bristol. He dedicated the century to his father.
Captaincy of national team
| Matches | Won | Lost | Drawn | Tied | No result | Win % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Test | 25 | 4 | 9 | 12 | 0 | – | 16% |
| ODI | 73 | 23 | 43 | – | 2 | 6 | 31.50% |
Sachin Tendulkar’s two tenures as captain of the Indian cricket team were not very successful. Tendulkar became captain in 1996, but by 1997 the team was performing poorly. Discussing Tendulkar’s first term as captain, Azharuddin was credited with saying, “He won’t win! It’s not in the small one’s destiny!” (Hindi: “Nahin jeetega! Chote ki naseeb main jeet nahin hai!”)
Sachin Tendulkar, succeeding Azharuddin as captain for his second term, led India on a tour of Australia, where the visitors were beaten 3–0 by the newly crowned world champions. Sachin Tendulkar won the player of the series award, as well as player of the match in one of the games. After another Test series defeat, this time by a 0–2 margin at home against South Africa, Tendulkar resigned, and Sourav Ganguly took over as captain in 2000.
South Africa match fixing
Further information: Mohammad Azharuddin and South Africa cricket match fixing
See also: Chandrachud Commission
In 2000, members of the South African national team attempted to fix matches during their visit to India. After the incident, Sachin Tendulkar and three other senior cricketers worked to ensure that players “whose performance and conduct was dubious were never picked for the Indian squad again”.
Role in 2007 captaincy change
During the Indian team’s 2007 tour of England, the desire of Rahul Dravid to resign from the captaincy became known. Then Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) President Sharad Pawar offered the captaincy to Sachin Tendulkar, who instead recommended Mahendra Singh Dhoni. Pawar later revealed this conversation, crediting Tendulkar for suggesting Dhoni, who since achieved much success as captain.
Continued rise
2001–02: Mike Denness incident, Kolkata Test, and breaking Bradman’s record
During India’s 2001 tour of South Africa, in the second Test match, referee Mike Denness fined four Indian players for excessive appealing, and fined the Indian captain Sourav Ganguly for not controlling his team. Denness suspended Tendulkar from one match for alleged ball tampering.
Television cameras captured images that suggested Sachin Tendulkar may have been involved in cleaning the seam of the cricket ball. The incident escalated to include sports journalists accusing Denness of racism, and led to Denness being barred from entering the venue of the third Test match. The ICC revoked the status of the match as a Test as the teams rejected the appointed referee. The charges against Sachin Tendulkar triggered a massive backlash from the Indian public.
On the final day of the Kolkata Test against Australia in 2001, Tendulkar took three wickets, including the key wickets of Matthew Hayden and Adam Gilchrist, who were centurions in the previous Test. His three wickets haul helped India win the match. In the five-match ODI series that followed, he took his 100th wicket in ODIs, claiming the wicket of then Australian captain Steve Waugh in the final match at the Fatorda Stadium in Goa.
In the 2002 series in the West Indies, Sachin Tendulkar started well, scoring 79 in the first Test. In the second Test at Port of Spain, Sachin Tendulkar scored 117 in the first innings, his 29th Test century in his 93rd Test match, to equal Donald Bradman’s record of 29 Test hundreds. He was gifted a Ferrari 360 Modena by Fiat through Michael Schumacher for achieving this feat.
Then, in an unprecedented sequence, he scored just 0, 0, 8, and 0 in the next four innings. He returned to form in the last Test scoring 41 and 86, one half century. However, India lost the series. In this period, in the third Test match against England in August 2002, Sachin Tendulkar scored his 30th Test century to surpass Bradman’s haul, in his 99th Test match.
2003: Cricket World Cup
Sachin Tendulkar made 673 runs in 11 matches in the 2003 Cricket World Cup, helping India reach the final. While Australia won, Tendulkar was given the Man of the Tournament award.
He continued to score heavily in ODI cricket that year, with two hundreds in a tri-series involving New Zealand and Australia. As a part-time bowler, he dismissed an exhausted centurion, Matthew Hayden, in the tri-series final.
2003–04: Tour of Australia
The drawn series as India toured Australia in 2003–04 saw Sachin Tendulkar making his mark in the last Test of the series, scoring 241 not out from 436 balls with 33 fours at a strike rate of 55.27 in Sydney, putting India in a virtually unbeatable position. He spent 613 minutes at the crease during the innings. He followed this up with an unbeaten 60 in the second innings of the Test. Prior to this Test match, he had had an unusually horrible run of form, failing in all six innings in the preceding three Tests. It was no aberration that 2003 was his worst year in Test cricket, with an average of 17.00 and just one fifty.
Sachin Tendulkar scored an unbeaten 194 against Pakistan at Multan in the following series. Indian captain Rahul Dravid declared before Sachin Tendulkar reached 200; had he done so it would have been the fourth time he had passed the landmark in Tests. Sachin Tendulkar said that he was disappointed and that the declaration had taken him by surprise. Many former cricketers commented that Dravid’s declaration was in bad taste.After the match, which India won, Dravid said that the matter had been discussed internally and put to rest.
A tennis elbow injury then took its toll on Sachin Tendulkar, leaving him out of the side for most of the year, coming back only for the last two Tests when Australia toured India in 2004. He played a part in India’s victory in Mumbai in that series with a fast 55, though Australia took the series 2–1.
Performance dip
2005–06: Dry spell
On 10 December 2005 at Feroz Shah Kotla, Sachin Tendulkar scored his record-breaking 35th Test century, against the Sri Lankans. After this, Tendulkar endured the longest spell of his career without a Test century: 17 innings elapsed before he scored 101 against Bangladesh in May 2007. Sachin Tendulkar scored his 39th ODI hundred on 6 February 2006 in a match against Pakistan.
He followed with a 42 in the second One-Day International against Pakistan on 11 February 2006, and then a 95 in hostile, seaming conditions on 13 February 2006 in Lahore, which set up an Indian victory. On 19 March 2006, after being dismissed for only one run against England in the first innings of the third Test in his home ground, Wankhede, Tendulkar was booed off the ground by a section of the crowd. Sachin Tendulkar ended the three-Test series without a half-century to his credit, and the need for a shoulder operation raised more questions about his longevity.
Sachin Tendulkar’s comeback came in the DLF cup in Malaysia and he was the only Indian batsman to shine. In his comeback match, against West Indies on 14 September 2006, Tendulkar responded to his critics who believed that his career was inexorably sliding with his 40th ODI century. Though he scored 141 not out, West Indies won the rain-affected match by the D/L method.
2007 Cricket World Cup
Further information: India at the Cricket World Cup § India at the 2007 World Cup
During the preparation for the 2007 World Cup, Sachin Tendulkar’s attitude was criticised by Indian coach Greg Chappell. Chappell reportedly felt that Tendulkar would be more useful down the order, while Tendulkar felt that he would be better off opening the innings, the role he had played for most of his career.
Chappell also believed that Sachin Tendulkar’s repeated failures were hurting the team’s chances. In a rare show of emotion, Sachin Tendulkar hit out at the comments attributed to Chappell by pointing out that no coach had ever suggested his attitude towards cricket was incorrect. On 7 April 2007, the Board of Control for Cricket in India issued a notice to Tendulkar asking for an explanation for his comments made to the media. Chappell subsequently resigned as coach but said that this affair had no bearing on his decision and that he and Sachin Tendulkar were on good terms.
At the World Cup in the West Indies, Sachin Tendulkar and the Indian cricket team led by Rahul Dravid had a dismal campaign. Sachin Tendulkar, who was pushed to bat lower down the order had scores of 7 against Bangladesh, 57 not out against Bermuda and 0 against Sri Lanka.As a result, former Australian captain Ian Chappell, brother of Greg, called for Sachin Tendulkar to retire in his newspaper column.
After the loss against Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, Sachin Tendulkar suffered depression and thought to retire from cricket, but Viv Richards and Ajit Tendulkar stopped him. According to Tendulkar, 23 March 2007, the loss against Bangladesh is one of the worst days of his cricketing career.
Return to old form and consistency
See also: List of players who have scored 10,000 or more runs in Test cricket and List of players who have scored 10,000 or more runs in One Day International cricket
2007
In 2007, in a Test series during India’s tour of Bangladesh, Sachin Tendulkar returned to his opening slot and was chosen as the Man of the Series. He continued by scoring 99 and 93 in the first two matches of the Future Cup against South Africa. During the second match, he also became the first to score 15,000 runs in ODIs. He was the leading run scorer and was adjudged the Man of the Series.
On the second day of the Nottingham Test on 28 July 2007, Sachin Tendulkar became the third cricketer to complete 11,000 Test runs. In the subsequent one-day series against England, Sachin Tendulkar was the leading run scorer from India with an average of 53.42. In the ODI Series against Australia in October 2007 Sachin Tendulkar was the leading Indian run scorer with 278 runs.
Sachin Tendulkar was dismissed five times in 2007 between 90 and 100, including three times at 99, leading some to suggestions that he struggles to cope with nervousness in this phase of his innings. Tendulkar has got out 27 times in the 90s during his international career. In a five-ODI series against Pakistan, he was caught by Kamran Akmal off the bowling of Umar Gul for 99 in the second match at Mohali, and in the fourth match of that series, he got out in the 90s for a second time, scoring 97 before dragging a delivery from Gul on to his stumps.
2007–08: Tour of Australia
Further information: Indian cricket team in Australia in 2007–08 § Controversies; and Second Test, 2007–08 Border–Gavaskar Trophy
In 2008 India’s tour of Australia, at a Sydney Test match, Australian Andrew Symonds accused Indian Harbhajan Singh of using racist terminology by calling him a monkey. This matter was dubbed “Monkeygate” by the media. Singh was suspended by the match ICC referee after a hearing. Sachin Tendulkar was standing at the non-striker’s end at the moment when Symonds claimed the racist comments were made.
In the hearing, Sachin Tendulkar said to the ICC match referee Mike Procter, that he could not say what exactly Singh said to Symonds, but in the next hearing, Sachin Tendulkar changed his stance and said that Symonds had not said “monkey” but “Teri Maa Ki…” (‘Your mother’s…’). In his autobiography Playing It My Way, Sachin Tendulkar wrote, “Teri Maa Ki…, It is an expression we often use in North India to vent our anger and to me it all part of the game”. The matter became big in the following days and nearly led to the cancellation of this tour.
The referee suspended Singh for 3 Tests but after appeal and Sachin Tendulkar’s statement in the hearing the suspension was overturned. Andrew Symonds later said in Monkeygate- Ten years on, a documentary that was based on this matter, “When I began to play for Mumbai Indians, IPL franchise, once Harbhajan Singh came to me and apologised.”
Symonds said in the documentary, “We go to a very wealthy man’s place for a barbecue, drinks, and dinner one night, and the whole team’s there, and he had guests there, and Harbhajan said ‘mate, can I speak to you for a minute out in the garden out the front?’ He goes, ‘look, I’ve got to say sorry to you for what I did to you in Sydney. I apologise.” The Herald Sun stated that Sachin Tendulkar is still not “forgiven” by some Aussie players for changing his account on Monkeygate, dubbing Sachin Tendulkar an Indian “demigod”.
In the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, 2007–08, Sachin Tendulkar showed exceptional form, becoming the leading run scorer with “493 runs in four Tests, despite consistently failing in the second innings. Tendulkar scored 62 runs in the first innings of the first Test at the MCG in Melbourne, but could not prevent a heavy 337-run win for Australia. In the controversial New Years’ Test at Sydney, Sachin Tendulkar scored an unbeaten 154, even though India lost the Test.
This was his third century at the SCG and his 38th Test century overall, earning him an average of 326 at the ground at the time of completing the innings. In the third Test at the WACA cricket ground in Perth, Tendulkar was instrumental in India’s first innings score of 330, scoring a well-compiled 71.
India went on to record a historic triumph at the WACA, ending Australia’s run of 16 consecutive wins. In the fourth Test at the Adelaide Oval, which ended in a draw, he scored 153 in the first innings, being involved in a crucial 126-run stand with VVS Laxman for the fifth wicket to lead India to a score of 282 for 5 from 156 for 4. He secured the Man of the Match award.
In the One-Day International Commonwealth Bank Tri-Series involving India, Sri Lanka and Australia, Tendulkar became the only batsman to complete 16,000 runs in ODIs. He achieved this feat against Sri Lanka on 5 February 2008 at the Gabba in Brisbane.
He started the series with scores of 10, 35, 44 and 32. His form dipped a bit in the middle of the tournament,but Tendulkar came back strongly in India’s must-win game against Sri Lanka at the Bellerive Oval in Hobart, scoring 63 off 54 balls. He finished the series with a match winning 117 not out off 120 balls in the first final, and 91 runs in the second final. Both the knocks were nominated to be the ODI Batting Performance of the year by ESPNcricinfo.
2008: Return to Tests and breaking Brian Lara’s record
South Africa toured in March and April 2008 for a three-Test series. Tendulkar scored a five-ball duck in his only innings of the series; he sustained a groin strain in the match and as a result was forced not only to miss the second and third Tests, but also the tri-series involving Bangladesh, the 2008 Asia Cup, and the first half of the inaugural season of the IPL.
Before the Indian cricket team’s tour of Sri Lanka in July 2008, Tendulkar needed 177 runs to go past Brian Lara’s record of Test 11,953 runs. However, he failed in all six innings, scoring a total of 95 runs. India lost the series and his average of 15.83 was his worst in a Test series with at least three matches.
In the following ODI series against Sri Lanka, Tendulkar was sidelined due to injury. However, during the following Australia tour of India, he returned to fitness and form, scoring 13 and 49 in the first Test before making 88 in the first innings of the second Test, breaking the record for most Test runs held by Brian Lara. He also reached the 12,000-run mark when he was on 61. He described the achievement as the biggest in 19 years of his career on the day he achieved the record. He made a fifty in the third Test and 109 in the fourth, as India won the series 2–0 and regained the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
2008: England Series
Tendulkar was again out of the first three ODIs of a seven-match ODI series at home against England due to an injury, but he made 11 in the fourth ODI and 50 in the fifth, before the series was called off due to the 2008 Mumbai terrorist attacks, the scoreline being 5–0 to India.
England returned for a two-match Test series in December 2008, and the first Test, which was originally planned to be held in Mumbai, was shifted to Chennai following the terror attacks. Chasing 387 for victory in that match, Tendulkar scored 103 not out and shared a 163-run unbroken fifth wicket partnership with Yuvraj Singh.
This was his third century in the fourth innings of a Test match, and the first which resulted in a win. He dedicated this century to the victims of the Mumbai terror attacks. The knock was nominated to be one of the Test Batting Performance of the year by ESPNcricinfo. Tendulkar scored poorly in the second Test at Mohali, which ended in a draw. India won the series 1–0.
2009–10: Consolidation and ODI record
In early 2009, India revisited Sri Lanka for five ODIs, as the Pakistan series had been cancelled due to the security situation in Pakistan and the attacks in Mumbai. Tendulkar scored 5, 6 and 7 in the first three matches, being dismissed leg before wicket in all of them, and did not play in the remaining two matches.
India’s next assignment was an away series against New Zealand, consisting of three Tests and five ODIs. In the ODI series, Tendulkar made an unbeaten 163 in the third match before stomach cramps forced him to end his innings. India made 392, won the match and eventually won the series 3–1. Tendulkar made 160 in the first Test, his 42nd Test century, and India won. He made 49 and 64 in the second Test and 62 and 9 in the third, in which play was halted on the last day due to rain with India needing only two wickets to win. India won the series 1–0.
Tendulkar rested himself for the ODI tour of West Indies, but was back for the Compaq Cup Tri Series between India, Sri Lanka and New Zealand in early September 2009. He made 46 and 27 in the league matches before notching up 138 in the final, as India made 319 and won by 46 runs. This was Tendulkar’s sixth century in a final of an ODI tournament and his third consecutive score of over 50 in such finals.
Tendulkar played only one innings in the ICC Champions trophy in South Africa, scoring 8 against Pakistan as India lost. The next match against Australia was abandoned due to rain and he was out with a stomach infection in the third match against the West Indies, as India were eliminated.
Australia returned for a seven-match ODI series in India in October, and Tendulkar made 14, 4, 32 and 40 in the first four games. In the fifth match, with the series tied at 2–2, Australia amassed 350/4 in 50 overs. Tendulkar made his 45th ODI hundred, a 175 off 141 balls. Just when it seemed that he would steer India to the large victory target, he tried to scoop a slower delivery from debutant bowler Clint McKay over short fine leg only to be caught by Nathan Hauritz, with India needing 19 runs to win with 18 balls and four wickets left.
The Indian tail collapsed, and Australia won the match by three runs. During this match, Tendulkar also became the first player to reach 17,000 ODI runs, and achieved his personal best against Australia, as well as the third-highest score in a defeat. The knock was voted as the Best ODI Batting Performance of 2009 by ESPNcricinfo.
In the five-match ODI series against Sri Lanka in 2009–10, Tendulkar scored 69, 43, 96 not out and 8 in the first four matches, with the fifth match being abandoned as the pitch was deemed unfit and potentially dangerous. India won the series 3–1. In the Test series that followed, he scored a 100 not out in the first Test, which was drawn, and 40 and 53 in the second and third Tests, respectively, as India clinched innings victories in both the Tests, to win the series 2–0.
Tendulkar rested himself for the ODI tri-series in Bangladesh in 2010, but played in the subsequent Test series. He made 105 not out and 16 in the first Test, and 143 in the second. India won both the Tests.
In the two-Test Series against South Africa, Tendulkar made 7 and 100 in the first Test. He then scored 106 in the first innings of the second Test, which was his 47th hundred in Test cricket. It was also his fourth hundred in successive Tests, and he was the fourth Indian to achieve this feat. In the second match of the subsequent ODI series, Tendulkar scored 200 not out, becoming the world’s first batsman to score a double century in ODI cricket and breaking the previous highest score of 194 jointly held by Pakistan’s Saeed Anwar and Zimbabwe’s Charles Coventry.
Tendulkar’s shot to reach 14,000 Test runs. He was batting against Australia in October 2010.
2011–12: World Cup win and final years
See also: India at the Cricket World Cup § India at the 2011 World Cup
From February to April, Bangladesh, India, and Sri Lanka hosted the 2011 World Cup. Amassing 482 runs at an average of 53.55 including two centuries, Tendulkar was India’s leading run-scorer for the tournament; only Tillakaratne Dilshan of Sri Lanka scored more runs in the 2011 tournament, and was named in the ICC “Team of the Tournament”. India defeated Sri Lanka in the final. Shortly after the victory, Tendulkar commented that “Winning the World Cup is the proudest moment of my life. … I couldn’t control my tears of joy.”
India were due to tour the West Indies in June, although Tendulkar chose not to participate. He returned to the squad in July for India’s tour of England. Throughout the tour there was much hype in the media about whether Tendulkar would reach his 100th century in international cricket (Test and ODIs combined).
However, his highest score in the Tests was 91; Tendulkar averaged 34.12 in the series as England won 4–0 as they deposed India as the No. 1 ranked Test side. The injury Tendulkar sustained to his right foot in 2001 flared up and as a result he was ruled out of the ODI series that followed. Tendulkar created another record on 8 November 2011 when he became the first cricketer to score 15,000 runs in Test cricket, during the opening Test match against the West Indies at the Feroz Shah Kotla Stadium in New Delhi. For his performances in 2011, he was named in the World Test XI by the ICC.
Ian Chappell was not happy with Tendulkar’s performance after India’s tour of Australia. He says that Tendulkar’s quest for his 100th hundred has proved to be a hurdle for the entire team and has hampered their performance on the Tour of Australia. Former India World Cup winning captain and all-rounder Kapil Dev has also voiced his opinion that Tendulkar should have retired from ODI’s after the World Cup.
Former Australian fast bowler, Geoff Lawson, has said that Tendulkar has the right to decide when to quit although he adds that Tendulkar should not delay it for too long. The selection committee of BCCI expectedly included Tendulkar in the national Test squad for the upcoming series against New Zealand commencing in August 2012.
100th international century
On 16 March 2012, Tendulkar accomplished a remarkable feat by scoring his 100th international century in a match against Bangladesh in the Asia Cup, held at Mirpur. This was a pioneering achievement, as he became the first cricketer to ever reach this landmark. This century was not just a momentous occasion for Tendulkar, but it was also his first ODl century against Bangladesh.
Despite the widespread media attention and public fascination with this milestone, Tendulkar confessed that it was a challenging time for him, as the constant focus on his 100th hundred became a mentally onerous task.Despite Tendulkar’s illustrious century, India was unable to secure a triumph against Bangladesh, resulting in a defeat by a margin of 5 wickets.
Domestic return
After being bowled out in three similar instances against New Zealand and hitting a slump in form, Tendulkar returned to the Ranji Trophy to get back some form ahead of the England Series at home, in a match for Mumbai against Railways on 2 November 2012. This was his first Ranji Trophy match since 2009. He scored 137 off 136 balls, with 21 fours and 3 sixes, to take his team to 344 for 4 at stumps on day one.
However, because of a poor form in the first two Tests in the series against England, and India being humiliated in the second match of that series by 10 wickets on 26 November 2012, some people have started to question his place in the Indian team. A report by The Hindustan Times said that Tendulkar had a discussion with the national chief selector Sandeep Patil, in which he said that he would leave it to the selectors to decide on his future as he is not getting any runs. This speculation, however, was later considered to be false.
Then he decided to play in the knockout stage of the 2012–13 Ranji Trophy. He scored 108 in the quarter-final against Baroda before being bowled by Murtuja Vahora, where Tendulkar was involved in a 234-run partnership with opener Wasim Jaffer (150) for the 3rd wicket at Wankhede Stadium. Mumbai eventually piled on 645/9 and won on 1st innings lead.
In the semi-final against Services at Palam A Ground, with Mumbai reeling at 23/3, Tendulkar scored 56 from 75 balls and had an 81-run 4th wicket partnership with Abhishek Nayar (70), and Mumbai eventually won on 1st innings lead after the match went into the sixth day due to rain delays. In the final against Saurashtra, he was run out for 22 following a misunderstanding with Wasim Jaffer. Mumbai eventually won the Ranji Trophy 2012–13.
He also played in the Irani Trophy for Mumbai, where he scored 140* against Rest of India and helped Mumbai to score 409 in reply to Rest of India’s 526. This was also his 81st hundred in first-class cricket, equalling Sunil Gavaskar’s Indian record for most first-class hundreds.
Achievements of Sachin Tendulkar
- 100 International Centuries: Sachin Tendulkar is the only cricketer to score 100 international centuries, a record that remains unchallenged.
- Most Runs in ODIs and Tests: With over 34,000 runs across formats, he is the highest run-scorer in both One Day Internationals (ODIs) and Test cricket.
- 200 in ODIs*: Sachin was the first cricketer to score a double century in ODIs, achieving this feat against South Africa in 2010.
- World Cup 2011 Victory: A crowning moment in his career, Sachin Tendulkar fulfilled his lifelong dream of winning the ICC Cricket World Cup in 2011.
Playing Style and Legacy
Sachin Tendulkar’s batting style was a perfect blend of technique and flair. His ability to adapt to various conditions and formats set him apart from his peers. Whether facing the fastest bowlers or spinning deliveries, Sachin’s composure was unmatched.
Beyond records and accolades, Sachin Tendulkar inspired millions with his humility and sportsmanship. His contributions to cricket have earned him the Bharat Ratna, India’s highest civilian award, and a place in the ICC Hall of Fame.
Sachin Tendulkar Beyond Cricket
Post-retirement, Sachin Tendulkar has remained active as a mentor and philanthropist. His foundation supports underprivileged children, focusing on education and healthcare. Additionally, he continues to inspire budding cricketers and fans through his involvement in the sport.
Retirement
Further information on 200th and final Test match: West Indian cricket team in India in 2013–14
After a series of underwhelming performances during the 2012 series against England, Tendulkar announced his departure from One Day International cricket on 23 December 2012. However, he stated that he would continue to be available for representation in the Test format of the sport. Upon the announcement of his retirement from One Day International cricket, former Indian captain Sourav Ganguly expressed his surprise, noting that Tendulkar could have still participated in the upcoming series against Pakistan.
Anil Kumble reflected on the difficulty of imagining an Indian ODI team without Tendulkar’s name, while Javagal Srinath acknowledged the transformative impact Tendulkar had on the game, starting from the time he debuted as an opener in New Zealand in 1994.
After playing a Twenty20 International in 2006 against South Africa, he said that he would not play the format again. He announced his retirement from the IPL after his team, Mumbai Indians, beat Chennai Super Kings by 23 runs at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata on 26 May to win the Indian Premier League 2013. He retired from Twenty20 cricket and limited-overs cricket, after playing the 2013 Champions League Twenty20 in September–October 2013 in India for Mumbai Indians.
On 10 October 2013 Tendulkar announced that he would retire from all cricket after the two-Test series against West Indies in November. At his request, the BCCI arranged that the two matches be played at Kolkata and Mumbai so that the farewell would happen at his home ground. He scored 74 runs in his last Test innings against West Indies, thus failing short by 79 runs to complete 16,000 runs in Test cricket, the next man to bat after him was the future captain Virat Kohli.
The Cricket Association of Bengal and the Mumbai Cricket Association organised events to mark his retirement from the sport.Various national and international figures from cricket, politics, Bollywood and other fields spoke about him in a day-long Salaam Sachin Conclave organised by India Today.
Post-retirement
In July 2014, he captained the MCC side in the Bicentenary Celebration match at Lord’s. In December 2014, he was announced ambassador of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 event. It is his second term as he has already held the ambassador of the previous ICC Cricket World Cup 2011. He got the ambassador position of the ICC Cricket world cup in consecutive terms of the cricket world cup (2011 and 2015).
Indian Premier League
Tendulkar was made the Icon player and captain for his home side, the Mumbai Indians in the inaugural Indian Premier League Twenty20 competition in 2008. As an icon player, he was signed for a sum of US$1,121,250, 15% more than the second-highest paid player in the team, Sanath Jayasuriya.
In 2010 edition of Indian Premier League, Mumbai Indians reached the final of the tournament. Tendulkar made 618 runs in 14 innings during the tournament, breaking Shaun Marsh’s record of most runs in an IPL season. He was declared player of the tournament for his performance during the season. He also won Best Batsman and Best Captain awards at 2010 IPL Awards ceremony. Tendulkar has scored more than 500 runs in IPL in two different seasons as a captain.
Sachin Tendulkar captained Mumbai Indians in 4 league matches of the second edition of the Champions League T20. He scored 68 in the first match and 48 against Guyana. But Mumbai Indians failed to qualify for semifinals after losing the initial two matches. Tendulkar scored 135 runs.
In the 2011 IPL, against Kochi Tuskers Kerala, Tendulkar scored his maiden Twenty20 hundred. He scored 100 not out off 66 balls. In 2013, Tendulkar retired from Indian Premier League and in 2014 he was appointed as the Mumbai Indian’s “Team Icon”.
His last match for the team was the final of the 2013 Champions League, where he scored 14 runs in an Indians victory. In his 78 matches in the IPL, Tendulkar scored a total of 2,334 runs; at the time of his retirement he was the fifth-highest run-scorer in the competition’s history. Mumbai Indians retired his number 10 jersey as a tribute to Tendulkar. He recently stepped down as the mentor of the franchise citing personal reasons.
Conclusion
Sachin Tendulkar is more than a cricketing legend; he is a symbol of perseverance and passion. His journey from a young boy in Mumbai to a global icon is a testament to the power of dreams and hard work. Sachin Tendulkar’s legacy will forever resonate in the cricketing world, inspiring generations to come.