There are sports champions, then there are sporting legends, and then finally, there is God! Cricket is a religion in India, and Sachin Tendulkar is God. Very few cricketers, for that matter even sportsmen, have captured the imagination of the entire world the way Tendulkar has. He needs no introduction, but his life story sure needs to be cherished. Let us dig deeper into Sachin Tendulkar biography.
| Full Name | Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar |
| Age | 47 |
| Sport Category | Cricket |
| Date of Birth | 24th April 1973 |
| Hometown | Mumbai, Maharashtra |
| Height | 165 cm |
| Coach | Late Ramakant Achrekar |
| Parent | Ramesh and Rajni Tendulkar |
| ODI Debut | 18 December 1989 vs. Pakistan |
| Test Debut | 15 November 1989 vs. Pakistan |
Sachin Tendulkar Biography
Family Background
Tendulkar’s cricketing story started in Shivaji Park, Dadar. He was introduced to Ramakant Achrekar’s academy by his brother Ajit. However, Tendulkar became conscious during the trials and couldn’t get selected. Then, Ajit requested Achrekar Sir to hide behind a tree and watch him play. Without the pressure of being observed, Tendulkar gave a stunning performance and was immediately selected in the academy.
Sachin Tendulkar’s cricketing career was shaped by the efforts and guidance of his coach Ramakant Achrekar. The Dronacharya award-winning guru passed away on January 2, 2019, in Mumbai. Tendulkar spoke to the Times of India about his coach.
“Like many of his students, I learnt my ABCD of cricket under Sir’s guidance. His contribution to my life cannot be captured in words. He built the foundation that I stand on.”
Journey
Right from his school days, Tendulkar became a popular name in the cricketing world. His prodigal talent was visible to all. He led his school team to many victories. He also played for Cricket Club of India.
Tendulkar began his Ranji Trophy career on November 14, 1987. Unfortunately, he was just a substitute then. He made his actual debut in December 1988, the next season. He made 100 not out in his very first match. The glimpse of his extremely bright future was visible to everyone as he finished the season with 583 runs at an average of 67.77, becoming the highest run scorer for Bombay. Tendulkar has scored centuries in all his three domestic tournament debuts- Ranji, Irani, and Duleep Trophies.
In the year 1989, Tendulkar made his Test and ODI debut against Pakistan. In doing so, he became the youngest player to debut for India in both formats. Steadily, he became a dependable fixture in the team and rose through ranks. Tendulkar was the leading run scorer at the 1996 World Cup. He was the Man of the Tournament at the 2003 World Cup as well.
One of the best players in the history of the game, Sachin Tendulkar never found much success as a captain. Hence, he decided to stay away from captaincy. He had some ups and downs in his performances throughout his long career. However, he always bounced back stronger.
Sachin Tendulkar Cricket Technique
Tendulkar is considered as the most wholesome batsman. His superior balance and poise have always stood out. Tendulkar has always preferred hard, bouncy pitches. However, he could easily adapt his game to include varied shots. Sachin Tendulkar can also bowl medium pace, leg spin, and off spin.
Sachin Tendulkar Retirement
On November 16, 2013, Sachin Tendulkar’s 24 year-long and illustrious cricketing career came to an end. He played his last ODI match in December 2012 and Twenty20 match in October 2013. His 200th test match against West Indies on 16th November 2013 was his adieu to the cricketing world as a player.
Sachin Tendulkar Family
Sachin met his better half, Anjali, at the Mumbai International airport when he was returning from his first international tour. It was love at first sight for Sachin. Fortunately, he was introduced by a common friend to Anjali, who was practising medicine. Anjali knew nothing about sports then!
After dating for five years, the couple got married in 1995. They are blessed with a daughter, Sara and a son, Arjun. Arjun Tendulkar is turning out to be an extremely talented budding cricketer.
Sachin Tendulkar Net Worth
Considering Tendulkar’s illustrious career and multiple endorsements, it isn’t surprising that his net worth around $168 Million (Rs 980 Crore) and his annual income is estimated to be around $ 11 Million (Rs 68 Crores). In the year 2013, he was listed as number 51 in Forbes list “The World’s Highest-Paid Athletes.” Tendulkar made $9 million in the year 2016 through endorsements and investments.
Tendulkar has endorsed brands such as Coca-Cola, BMW India, and Adidas. He is also a co-owner of Bengaluru Blasters in Premier Badminton League and Kerala Blasters in ISL. Tendulkar also owns ten luxury cars that coast around 15 crore and properties worth 520 crores. Tendulkar is also a partner at two restaurant chains, Tendulkar’s and Sachin’s.
Statistics
Batting and fielding averages
| Mat | Inns | NO | Runs | HS | Ave | BF | SR | 100 | 50 | 4s | 6s | Ct | St | |
| Tests | 200 | 329 | 33 | 15921 | 248* | 53.78 | 51 | 68 | 69 | 115 | 0 | |||
| ODIs | 463 | 452 | 41 | 18426 | 200* | 44.83 | 21368 | 86.23 | 49 | 96 | 2016 | 195 | 140 | 0 |
| T20Is | 1 | 1 | 0 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 12 | 83.33 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| First-class | 310 | 490 | 51 | 25396 | 248* | 57.84 | 81 | 116 | 186 | 0 | ||||
| List A | 551 | 538 | 55 | 21999 | 200* | 45.54 | 60 | 114 | 175 | 0 | ||||
| T20s | 96 | 96 | 11 | 2797 | 100* | 32.9 | 2310 | 121.08 | 1 | 16 | 359 | 38 | 28 | 0 |
Bowling averages
| Mat | Inns | Balls | Runs | Wkts | BBI | BBM | Ave | Econ | SR | 4w | 5w | 10 | |
| Tests | 200 | 145 | 4240 | 2492 | 46 | 3/10 | 3/14 | 54.17 | 3.52 | 92.1 | – | – | – |
| ODIs | 463 | 270 | 8054 | 6850 | 154 | 5/32 | 5/32 | 44.48 | 5.1 | 52.2 | 4 | 2 | – |
| T20Is | 1 | 1 | 15 | 12 | 1 | 1/12 | 1/12 | 12 | 4.8 | 15 | – | – | – |
| First-class | 310 | 7605 | 4384 | 71 | 3/10 | 61.74 | 3.45 | 107.1 | – | – | |||
| List A | 551 | 10230 | 8478 | 201 | 5/32 | 5/32 | 42.17 | 4.97 | 50.8 | 4 | 2 | – | |
| T20s | 96 | 8 | 93 | 123 | 2 | 1/12 | 1/12 | 61.5 | 7.93 | 46.5 | – | – | – |
Sachin Tendulkar Records
The list of records Tendulkar holds is perhaps almost unending! Right from his debut as the youngest player at the age of 16, Tendulkar has continued breaking records and setting new ones. We are listing out some here.
ODI Records – Centuries
- The highest number of centuries (49) and fifties (96)
- Most centuries in a calendar year (9 in 1998)
- The first person to score a double century
- Maximum 150+ run-scores
- The highest number of the Man of the Match awards (62)
- Most Man of the Series awards (15)
Test Records
- The highest number of centuries (51)
- Leading run scorer (11,953)
- Joint-fastest cricketer to reach 10,000 runs in Test cricket with Brian Lara
- 1000+ Test runs in a calendar years (6 times – 1997, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2008, 2010)
- Only player in the world to have scored 5 Test centuries before turning 20
Interesting Facts
- At the 1987 World Cup, Tendulkar served as the ball boy. India was playing against England then.
- Sachin Tendulkar actively involves himself in philanthropic activities. He sponsors underprivileged children through the NGO Apnalaya. He operates this NGO along with his mother-in-law.
- Tendulkar’s autobiography “Playing It My Way” broke all records to become an instant bestseller. There are several books on his inspiring life. Also, Sachin: A Billion Dreams, his Biopic made it big in Bollywood.
- In April 2012, Sachin Tendulkar became a Rajya Sabha member after being nominated by the President. He donated the salary and allowances he earned as a Rajya Sabha MP in six years to the Prime Minister’s Relief Fund.
- Sachin Tendulkar was a devout disciple of guru Sathya Sai Baba of Puttaparthi. He cancelled his birthday celebrations after his guru’s death.
Awards
- Arjuna Award – 1994
- Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award – 1997
- Padma Shri – 1999
- Maharashtra Bhushan Award – 2001
- Padma Vibhushan – 2008
- Bharat Ratna – 2013
- “Most Influential People in the World” – Time 100 List
- Laureus Award for best sporting moment for the last 20 years.
Legends about Sachin Tendulkar
Barack Obama: “I don’t know about cricket but still I watch cricket to see Sachin play.Not b’coz I love his play its b’coz I want to know the reason why my country’s production goes down by 5 percent when he’s in batting.”
Donald Bradman: “I saw him playing on the television and I was very, very struck by his technique. I asked my wife to come and have a look at him. Because I said, I never saw myself play, but I feel that this feller is playing much the same as I used to play… It was just his compactness, his stroke production, his technique, it all seemed to gel as far as I was concerned.”
Shane Warne: “Sachin Tendulkar is, in my time, the best player without a doubt – daylight second, Brian Lara third.”
Viv Richards: “He has been a genius when it comes to ability, a Trojan when it comes to work ethic and manic when it comes to his focus.”
Rahul Dravid: “What he has done is set a benchmark for future generations which, probably, would be almost impossible for anyone to emulate.”
Brian Lara: “Sachin is a genius. I’m a mere mortal. When I speak about cricket, I will speak about Tendulkar. Just like you mention Mohammad Ali when you mention boxing and Michael Jordan when it comes to basketball.”
Anil Kumble: “I am fortunate that I’ve to bowl at him only in the nets.”
Mahendra Singh Dhoni: “His schoolboy-like enthusiasm for the game is something I envy and admire. For the team, he is the best available coaching manual.”
Andy Flower: “There is two kinds of batsmen in the world. One, Sachin Tendulkar. Two, all the others.”
Shah Rukh Khan: “I would like to thank you from the bottom of my heart for allowing us to breathe the same air as you do.”
Matthew Hayden: “I have seen God. He bats at number four for India.”
Greatest Ever
Sachin Tendulkar is without a shred of doubt one of the greatest batsmen in the world. Sachin Tendulkar has inspired millions. Very few sportspeople have had an impact of such magnitude on the masses. His bond with the game is such that whenever we talk about cricket, the first name that comes to the mind is Sachin Tendulkar. We have some amazing cricketers in the current Indian National team. Many more talented batsmen will come. Perhaps, the records will not last, but no one can ever take Sachin’s place in the hearts of Indians.
