Sachin Tendulkar

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Tendulkar took up cricket at age eleven, made his Test debut on 15 November 1989 against Pakistan, and represented Mumbai domestically and India internationally for over 24 years. 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. He was named 'Player of the Tournament' at the 2003 World Cup. Tendulkar received the Arjuna Award (1994), Khel Ratna (1997), Padma Shri (1998), Padma Vibhushan (2008), and the Bharat Ratna in 2013, becoming the first sportsperson and youngest recipient of India's highest civilian award. He was inducted into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame in 2019.

In Their Own Story

In 2011, Tendulkar finally secured his first World Cup win after six appearances for India, a moment that capped a career defined by near-misses and relentless pursuit of excellence. Earlier, in the 2003 World Cup, he had been named 'Player of the Tournament'. His international debut at age 16 in 1989 marked the start of an era where he became the youngest to score a century on first-class debut for Bombay against Gujarat in December 1988. He later played his 200th Test match in November 2013, retiring from all forms of cricket shortly after. In 2002, Wisden ranked him the second-greatest Test batsman behind Don Bradman and the second-greatest ODI batsman behind Viv Richards. That same year, he was part of the joint-winning team for the ICC Champions Trophy.

Reader's Guide

In 1988, while playing for Sharadashram Vidyamandir School, 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. This was a record partnership in any form of cricket until 2006. He made his first-class debut for Bombay against Gujarat on 11 December 1988, scoring 100 not out, becoming the youngest Indian to score a century on first-class debut. He is the only player to score a century on debut in all three domestic first-class tournaments (Ranji, Irani, and Duleep Trophies).

Did You Know?

• Tendulkar served as a ball boy during the 1987 Cricket World Cup, but not for the India-England semifinal; he was a ball boy for other matches in the tournament.
• He was named after music director Sachin Dev Burman.
• Tendulkar won 13 one-rupee coins from his coach Ramakant Achrekar for not getting dismissed in practice sessions.
• The claim that he was a substitute for Imran Khan's team in an exhibition match on 20 January 1987 is unverified and not part of established records.

Family Heritage and Early Life

Sachin Tendulkar was born on 24 April 1973 at Nirmal Nursing Home in Dadar, Bombay, into a Marathi family. His father, Ramesh Tendulkar, was a novelist and poet who named him after music director Sachin Dev Burman. His mother, Rajni, worked in insurance. He has three older siblings: half-brothers Nitin and Ajit, and half-sister Savita, children of his father's first wife who died after her third child. As a young boy, he was considered a bully until cricket helped curb these tendencies. Before Sharadashram Vidyamandir School, he attended the Indian Education Society's New English School in Bandra (East). He also lived with an aunt and uncle near Shivaji Park while training.

Domestic and Youth Career Beginnings

Tendulkar debuted in club cricket at age 11 in 1984 for John Bright Cricket Club in the Kanga Cricket League. By 1988, he was playing for the Cricket Club of India. In January 1987, he served as a substitute for Imran Khan's team in an exhibition match at Brabourne Stadium and worked as a ball boy during the 1987 World Cup semifinal between India and England. His school partnership with Vinod Kambli of 664 runs against St. Xavier's High School stood as a record until 2006.

First-Class Breakthrough and IPL Debut

On 14 November 1987, at age 14, Tendulkar was selected for Bombay in the Ranji Trophy but did not play in the final eleven. His first-class debut came on 11 December 1988 against Gujarat, where he scored 100 not out. He was chosen by captain Dilip Vengsarkar after watching him bowl to Kapil Dev in practice nets. In the 1995–96 Irani Cup, he captained Mumbai against Rest of India. His first double century for Mumbai came in 1998 against Australia at Brabourne Stadium (204*). He was part of five Ranji Trophy finals, winning four.

Franchise Movement and Future Prospects

Tendulkar retired from ODI cricket in 2012 and played his final match in November 2013. In 2019, he was inducted into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame. He received the Arjuna Award (1994), Khel Ratna (1997), Padma Shri (1998), and Padma Vibhushan (2008). The Bharat Ratna was announced by the Prime Minister's Office after his final match in 2013, making him the first sportsperson and youngest recipient as of 2024. He was named to an all-time Test World XI in 2013 for Wisden's 150th anniversary.