Sachin Tendulkar – Profiling

Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar – a name that’s etched in the minds of over a billion people thanks to his mastery on the cricket field. Born on April 24, 1973, in the cricket capital of India, Mumbai, he was destined to leave an indelible mark on the sport.

Tendulkar made his international debut on November 15, 1989, in a Test match against Pakistan. And soon he went on to become the biggest match-winner for India and a batting great the sport has ever seen.

In a career spanning 24 years, the Mumbai batter turned up in 664 matches for India and piled up a record 34357 runs across formats. His hunger for scoring runs and standing up to the occasion earned him the tag of ‘God of Cricket’.

Sachin Tendulkar – Playing Style

Sachin Tendulkar was a proficient right-hand batter and an able spinner with plenty of variations up his sleeve, just like his array of batting strokes.

His impeccable batting technique allowed him to dominate varied bowling attacks, including those of the fiercest fast bowlers of his era. Tendulkar’s proper textbook method worked wonders for him, allowing him to execute precise shots with perfect balance and footwork.

The Little Master scored runs on any kind of surface and in all conditions across the world. Such was his elegant batting style, with no evident flaws.

Speaking of his bowling, he was more than a handy spinner. He didn’t just fill up the overs; he changed the course of the game with his astute off and leg spin.

Sachin Tendulkar – Cricket Journey

Tendulkar began his cricket journey at the age of 11, when his half-brother, Ajit, took him to Ramakant Achrekar, who would be his first coach. Achrekar played a huge role in shaping Tendulkar’s career in the early days.

After joining Achrekar’s academy, the young prodigy played a lot of matches and toiled hard on the field. His unbeaten 326 during a Harris Shield match garnered a lot of attention.

A year later, after that knock, he was part of Mumbai’s Ranji team and went on to blast a scintillating century on his first-class debut against Gujarat.

After setting the domestic cricketing scene on fire, Tendulkar soon found his way to the senior Indian team. 

At the age of 16 years and 205 days, he made his Test debut in November 1989 against Pakistan. A month later, he made his maiden appearance in ODI cricket against the same opposition.

In his maiden Test series, Tendulkar showcased his temperament to bat at the higher level despite taking unbearable blows to his body. That was enough to display his passion for the sport and his hunger to make it big.

And what followed was a remarkable career that continues to inspire many upcoming cricketers, not just from India but across the world.

Tendulkar brought up his first Test century against England in the 1990 Old Trafford Test. Coming in at No. 6, his valiant effort of 119 not out helped India draw the match.

Later, he went on to stitch many memorable knocks in the whites for India against formidable opponents like Australia, South Africa, the West Indies, and Pakistan. The Master Blaster represented India in 200 Tests, scoring 15921 runs at an impressive average of 53.78, including a record 51 hundreds.

Unlike the Test format, Tendulkar took some time to establish his name in the ODI format. He played some impactful knocks in the initial years, but the triple-digit figures eluded him.

After a long wait of 78 ODIs, Tendulkar finally notched up his maiden ODI century in 1994 against his favourite opponent, Australia. Then he went on a spree of hammering centuries, compiling a tally of 49 tons, which Virat Kohli bettered in 2023.

Tendulkar’s love affair with the white ball continued at the grandest stage in the Cricket World Cup. He represented India in 6 World Cup editions, starting from 1992 to 2011, and fulfilled his dream of lifting the coveted trophy in front of his home crowd in his last appearance.

The Master Blaster donned the blue jersey in 463 ODIs, accumulating a staggering 18426 runs. Tendulkar played his last ODI in March 2012, but in his second-last match, the right-hand batter smashed his 49th ODI ton and, overall, the 100th century across formats — an almost unbreakable record.

Tendulkar’s last international appearance came in the form of his 200th Test match in November 2013, leaving the whole country in tears.

Sachin Tendulkar – Stats and Records

Sachin Tendulkar finds his name in almost every cricketing record that’s out there. Have a look at his remarkable records across formats.

Test Records

• Sachin Tendulkar remains the youngest Indian and, overall, the fifth youngest player to feature in a Test match (16 years and 205 days).
• Tendulkar has scored the most runs in Test cricket, with 15921 runs under his belt.
• Moreover, he also holds the record for notching up the most Test centuries, with 51 to his name.
• In 2010, he accumulated 1562 runs in 14 Tests, which is the sixth most Test runs scored by a batter in a calendar year.
• His 7 Test hundreds in the same year are the second-most for any batter in a calendar year.
• Tendulkar had a special liking for playing against Australia and racked up 11 Test tons against them, the fifth most by a batter against an opponent.
• Sachin brought up his maiden Test century at the age of 17 years and 107 days, which makes him the third youngest Test centurion.
• In his 200-match Test career, he scored 119 fifty-plus scores, the most by a batter in the longest format.
• Tendulkar is the fastest batter to score 10000, 13000, 14000, and 15000 runs in Test cricket.
• 200 matches played by Tendulkar are the most in Tests, while his Test career spanning 24 years and a day is the fifth-longest.

ODI Records

• Sachin Tendulkar’s tally of 18426 runs is the highest in the ODI format.
• The Little Master smashed 49 ODI centuries and held the pole position until Virat Kohli surpassed him to sit at the top.
• His 145 fifty-plus scores are also the most in 50-over cricket.
• In 2010, he became the first male cricketer to notch up a double century in the 50-over format.
• 1998 was an exceptional year for Tendulkar, as he racked up 1894 runs in 34 matches, the most by a batter in a calendar year in ODIs.
• In the process, he hammered 9 hundreds, which is again the most in a single year.
• His love affair with Australia continued in ODIs as well, as he scored 9 tons against them, the joint second most against one team.
• Sachin has slammed the most boundary fours (2016) in ODIs, and he remains the only one with 2000+ fours.
• He is third-fastest to 10000 runs, second-fastest to 11000, 12000, and 13000 runs, and fastest to 14000, 15000, 16000, 17000, and 18000 ODI runs.
• Tendulkar featured in the most number of ODI matches (463), spanning across 22 years and 91 days — the longest ODI career.
• He has bagged the most Player of the Match (62) and Player of the Series (15) awards in ODI cricket.

All Format Records

• Sachin Tendulkar holds the record for scoring the most runs in all formats, with 34357 runs in his kitty. He is the only batter with 30000+ runs across formats.
• He also remains the only batter to notch up 100 centuries in Tests, ODIs, and T20Is combined.
• In 1998, Tendulkar hammered 12 centuries across ODIs (9) and Tests (3), making it the most by a batter in a calendar year.
• His 20 hundreds against Australia are the most by a batter across formats.
• Sachin’s tally of 264 fifty-plus scores is the highest in international cricket.
• He represented India in 664 international matches, making it the most by a player in all formats.
• The Master Blaster won the most Player of the Match awards (76) and the second most Player of the Series awards (20) in international cricket.

Sachin Tendulkar – Awards

Sachin Tendulkar has been honoured with many notable national and sporting awards for his exceptional achievements in cricket.

National Awards

• Arjuna Award (1994)
• Khel Ratna Award – India’s highest sports award (1997-98)
• Padma Shri – India’s fourth-highest civilian award (1999)
• Maharashtra Bhushan Award – Maharashtra’s highest civilian award (2001)
• Padma Vibhushan – India’s second-highest civilian award (2008)
• Bharat Ratna – India’s highest civilian award (2014)

Sporting Awards

• Wisden Cricketer of the Year (1997)
• Player of the Tournament (2003 World Cup)
• ICC ODI Team of the Year (2004, 2007, 2010)
• ICC Test Team of the Year (2009, 2010, 2011)
• Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy – Cricketer of the Year (2010)
• ICC Hall of Fame (2019)

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