Biography
Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar, born on 24 April 1973 in Mumbai, India, is often called one of the greatest cricketers ever. Known as the "God of Cricket" in India, Tendulkar set numerous world records during his 24-year international career. He made his Test debut at sixteen against Pakistan in Karachi on 15 November 1989, making him one of the youngest players to represent India in top-level cricket.
Tendulkar's career stats are unmatched in international cricket. He is the all-time highest run-scorer and the only batsman to score 100 international centuries across all formats. Early in his career, Wisden ranked him as the second-best Test batsman of all time, after Don Bradman, and second-best ODI batsman, after Viv Richards, in 2002, while he was still playing.
Tendulkar played for Mumbai in domestic cricket and for India internationally, taking part in six Cricket World Cups. He was named "Player of the Tournament" at the 2003 World Cup and was on the Indian team that won the 2011 Cricket World Cup, achieving a lifelong dream. He also played in India's joint victory in the 2002 ICC Champions Trophy. Tendulkar captained the Indian national team at different times but eventually focused on his batting rather than leading the team.
After retiring from ODI cricket in 2012, Tendulkar played his last Test match in November 2013, reaching a total of 200 Test matches. His retirement marked the end of a significant period in Indian cricket. Besides his sports achievements, Tendulkar served as a Member of Parliament in the Rajya Sabha from 2012 to 2018, nominated by the President. He received the Bharat Ratna, India's highest civilian award, in 2014, as the first sportsperson and youngest person to receive it. He studied at Kirti M. Doongursee College and is married to Anjali Tendulkar.
Before Fame
Tendulkar started playing cricket when he was eleven and showed amazing talent early on. His natural ability and hard work quickly made him stand out among his peers in Mumbai's tough cricket scene. He moved up through local cricket clubs and youth teams, improving his skills with the help of experienced coaches who saw what he could become.
In his mid-teens, Tendulkar had already made a big impact in domestic cricket. His strong performances at the youth level and in Mumbai's cricket scene caught the eye of national selectors, leading to his incredible selection for the Indian Test team at just sixteen years old. This early opportunity showed both his exceptional talent and the confidence cricket authorities had in his potential to succeed internationally.
Key Achievements
- Only player to score 100 international centuries across all formats of cricket
- All-time highest run-scorer in international cricket with over 34,000 runs
- First sportsperson to receive India's highest civilian award, the Bharat Ratna, in 2014
- Member of the Indian Cricket World Cup winning team in 2011
- Played 200 Test matches and 463 ODIs during his 24-year international career
Did You Know?
- 01.He scored his first Test century at the age of 17 against England at Old Trafford in 1990, making him one of the youngest centurions in Test cricket history
- 02.Tendulkar is named after the legendary Indian music director Sachin Dev Burman
- 03.He was the first batsman to score a double century in One Day International cricket, achieving this feat against South Africa in 2010
- 04.Tendulkar's final Test match was played at his home ground, the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, where he scored 74 runs in his last innings
- 05.He received the Padma Shri award in 1999, not 1998 as commonly stated, making him one of the youngest recipients of this civilian honor
Family & Personal Life
Awards & Honors
| Award | Year | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Arjuna Award | 1994 | — |
| Wisden Cricketer of the Year | 1997 | — |
| Maharashtra Bhushan Award | — | — |
| Bharat Ratna | 2014 | — |
| Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award in Sports and Games | — | — |
| Padma Shri in sports | 1999 | — |
| Padma Vibhushan | 2008 | — |
| Outstanding Achievement Medal | — | — |
| People's Choice Awards | 2010 | — |
| Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy | — | — |
| Honorary Member of the Order of Australia | 2012 | — |