Born in Mumbai, India on April 24, 1973, Sachin Tendulkar is a retired Indian cricketer renowned for his extraordinary batting skills, widely regarded as one of the greatest batsmen in cricket history. He made his international debut for India when he was just 16 years old and played for the country for 24 years, including being a part of the team that won the 2011 Cricket World Cup. With an incredible 34,357 runs across all formats, he holds the record for the most runs scored in international cricket, as well as the most centuries in both Test and One Day International (ODI) cricket. Tendulkar's achievements also include being the all-time highest run-scorer in both ODI and Test cricket, with over 18,000 and 15,000 runs, respectively. He holds the distinction of receiving the most man-of-the-match awards in international cricket.
International Debut
At the tender age of 16 years and 205 days, Sachin Tendulkar became the youngest player to debut for India in Tests and also the youngest to debut for India in ODI at 16 years and 238 days. His Test debut was against Pakistan in Karachi in November 1989, where he scored 215 runs at an average of 35.83 in the debut Test series. During a 20-over exhibition match in Peshawar held alongside the bilateral series, Tendulkar exhibited an impressive display of his skills, smashing 53 runs off 18 balls, including an over where he scored 27 runs bowled by leg-spinner Abdul Qadir. His performance was hailed by the then Indian captain Krishnamachari Srikkanth, who called it "one of the best innings I have seen." Tendulkar's reputation grew even further during the 1991–92 tour of Australia before the 1992 Cricket World Cup, where he scored an unbeaten 148 in the third Test at Sydney, making him the youngest batsman to score a century in Australia. In the final Test at Perth, he scored 114 against a formidable pace attack comprising of Merv Hughes, Bruce Reid, and Craig McDermott on a fast, bouncing pitch.
The Rise of a Champion
In 1994, Tendulkar achieved a notable performance by opening the batting against New Zealand in Auckland and making 82 runs off 49 balls. His first ODI century was scored on September 9, 1994, against Australia in Sri Lanka at Colombo, after participating in 78 ODIs. Tendulkar continued his ascent in cricket by being the top run-scorer at the 1996 World Cup, where he scored two centuries. In the semi-final against Sri Lanka, Tendulkar was the only Indian batsman who played well, but he fell during a batting collapse. The match referee awarded the match to Sri Lanka after the crowd started rioting and throwing litter onto the field. Tendulkar's inning of 143 (131) runs in Sharjah against the Australian team in the 1998 Coca-Cola Cup, including five sixes against Shane Warne, Damien Fleming, and Michael Kasprowicz, is known as the "Desert Storm" due to being interrupted by a sandstorm. In 1998, Tendulkar scored three consecutive centuries during an Australian tour of India, where the main focus was his clash with spinner Shane Warne. Tendulkar's performance in the ICC 1998 quarterfinal at Dhaka, where he scored 141 runs in 128 balls and took four Australian wickets, paved the way for India's entry into the semifinals. During the 1999 Cricket World Cup, Tendulkar's father, Ramesh Tendulkar, passed away. He missed the match against Zimbabwe to attend his father's final rituals but returned to the World Cup and scored a century (140 not out of 101 balls) in his next match against Kenya in Bristol, dedicating the century to his father.
During the 2002 series in the West Indies, Tendulkar had a great start by scoring 79 runs in the first Test. He continued his excellent form in the second Test at Port of Spain, where he made 117 runs in the first innings, achieving his 29th Test century in his 93rd Test match, which was the same number of Test hundreds that Donald Bradman had scored. As a reward for this achievement, Fiat gifted him a Ferrari 360 Modena, delivered through Michael Schumacher. In the 2003 Cricket World Cup, Tendulkar amassed 673 runs in 11 matches, helping India reach the final, although they lost to Australia. He was given the Man of the Tournament award. In the same year, he scored two ODI centuries in a tri-series involving New Zealand and Australia and also took the wicket of Matthew Hayden in the final as a part-time bowler. In the 2003-04 Test series against Australia, Tendulkar's unbeaten 241 runs off 436 balls with 33 fours at a strike rate of 55.27 in Sydney helped India achieve an almost unbeatable position, and he followed it up with an unbeaten 60 runs in the second innings of the Test. During the 2011 World Cup held in Bangladesh, India, and Sri Lanka, Tendulkar amassed 482 runs, including two centuries, at an average of 53.55, and led India to the final, where they defeated Sri Lanka to win the Cup. He was India's top run-scorer for the tournament. Tendulkar achieved a milestone on 16 March 2012 by scoring his 100th international century in a match against Bangladesh in the Asia Cup, held at Mirpur. He was the first cricketer to reach this landmark. On 10 October 2013, Tendulkar declared his retirement from all forms of cricket after the two-Test series against West Indies in November. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) arranged the matches in Kolkata and Mumbai to ensure that his final game would take place at his home ground. In his last Test innings against West Indies, Tendulkar scored 74 runs.
Rewards & Recognition
Throughout his career, Tendulkar has been recognized for his humility and sportsmanship, receiving numerous awards and accolades. He has been honored by the government of India with several awards including the Arjuna Award (1994), the Khel Ratna Award (1997), the Padma Shri (1998), and the Padma Vibhushan (2008). Following his retirement in November 2013, Tendulkar was bestowed with the Bharat Ratna, India's highest civilian award, by the Prime Minister's Office. He was the first sportsperson to receive this prestigious award and as of 2021, he is the youngest recipient and also the first sportsperson to receive it. Tendulkar was also nominated to the Rajya Sabha, the upper house of the Parliament of India, in 2012.
As ardent followers of his illustrious sporting journey, we never failed to witness even a single stroke from his bat and have imbibed several valuable lessons from his life. Here are the top five significant takeaways we learned from the greatest batsman of all time.
Dedication and Hard Work: Sachin Tendulkar is a great example of what can be achieved through dedication and hard work. He spent countless hours practicing and honing his skills, and was always looking for ways to improve.
Perseverance: Sachin Tendulkar faced many challenges and setbacks throughout his career, but he never gave up. He continued to work hard and push himself, even during difficult times.
Humility: Despite his many achievements, Sachin Tendulkar remained humble and grounded throughout his career. He was always willing to learn from others and give credit to his teammates and opponents.
Sportsmanship: Sachin Tendulkar was known for his sportsmanship and fair play on and off the field. He respected his opponents and played the game with integrity and honour.
Passion: Sachin Tendulkar had a deep passion for cricket, and this was evident in the way he played the game. He approached every match with enthusiasm and energy, and his love for the sport inspired others around him.
This name will always be remembered when we think of cricket. Wishing you a happy birthday and may God bless you with a joyful and colorful future ahead.
References: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sachin_Tendulkar
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