Sachin Tendulkar facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Sachin Tendulkar

Tendulkar in 2017
Personal information
Full name	Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar
Born	(1973-04-24) 24 April 1973 (age 52) Bombay, Maharashtra, India (now Mumbai, India)
Nickname	Little Master Master Blaster
Height	165 cm (5 ft 5 in)
Batting	Right-handed
Bowling	Right-arm leg break Right-arm off break
Role	Top order Batter
Relations	Ramesh Tendulkar (father) Arjun Tendulkar (son)
International information
National side	India (1989–2013)
Test debut (cap 187)	15 November 1989 v Pakistan
Last Test	14 November 2013 v West Indies
ODI debut (cap 74)	18 December 1989 v Pakistan
Last ODI	18 March 2012 v Pakistan
ODI shirt no.	10 (formerly 99, 33)
Only T20I (cap 11)	1 December 2006 v South Africa
T20I shirt no.	10
Domestic team information
Years	Team
1988–2013	Mumbai
1992	Yorkshire
1994	East Bengal
2008–2013	Mumbai Indians (squad no. 10)
Career statistics
Competition Test ODI FC LA Matches 200 463 310 551 Runs scored 15,921 18,426 25,396 21,999 Batting average 53.78 44.83 57.84 45.54 100s/50s 51/68 49/96 81/116 60/114 Top score 248* 200* 248* 200* Balls bowled 4,240 8,054 7,605 10,230 Wickets 46 154 71 201 Bowling average 54.17 44.48 61.74 42.17 5 wickets in innings 0 2 0 2 10 wickets in match 0 0 0 0 Best bowling 3/10 5/32 3/10 5/32 Catches/stumpings 115/– 140/– 186/– 175/–
Medal record Men's cricket Representing  India ODI World Cup 2011 India / Bangladesh / Sri Lanka Champions Trophy 2002 Sri Lanka Asia Cup 1990–91 India 1995 United Arab Emirates
Source: ESPNcricinfo, 15 November 2013
Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha
In office 27 April 2012 – 26 April 2018
Constituency	Nominated
Personal details
Awards	Bharat Ratna Padma Vibhushan Padma Shri Maharashtra Bhushan Khel Ratna Award Arjuna Award Honorary Member of the Order of Australia
Signature
Military service
Allegiance	India
Branch/service	Indian Air Force
Years of service	2010–present
Rank	Honorary Group Captain

Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar (born 24 April 1973) is an Indian former international cricket player. He was also the captain of the Indian national team. Many people think he is one of the greatest cricketers ever. He holds many world records. These include being the highest run-scorer in both ODI and Test cricket. He also won the most "player of the match" awards in international cricket. He is the only batsman to score 100 international centuries. From 2012 to 2018, Tendulkar was a Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha, nominated by the President of India.

Tendulkar started playing cricket when he was eleven years old. He played his first Test match on 15 November 1989 against Pakistan. He was only sixteen then. He played for Mumbai in India and for India internationally for over 24 years. In 2002, Wisden called him the second-greatest Test batsman of all time, after Don Bradman. They also said he was the second-greatest ODI batsman, after Viv Richards. Tendulkar was part of the Indian team that won the 2011 Cricket World Cup. This was his first World Cup win in six tries. He had been named "Player of the Tournament" at the 2003 World Cup.

Tendulkar has received many awards from the government of India. These include the Arjuna Award (1994), the Khel Ratna Award (1997), the Padma Shri (1998), and the Padma Vibhushan (2008). After his last match in November 2013, he received the Bharat Ratna. This is India's highest civilian award. He was the first sportsperson to get this award. He is also the youngest person to receive it. In 2010, Time magazine put him on its list of the most influential people in the world. Tendulkar also won the Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy for cricketer of the year in 2010.

He stopped playing ODI cricket in 2012. He retired from all forms of cricket in November 2013 after his 200th Test match. Tendulkar played 664 international cricket matches in total. He scored 34,357 runs. In 2019, he was added to the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame.

Early Life and Cricket Journey

Tendulkar was born in Bombay, Maharashtra on 24 April 1973. His father, Ramesh Tendulkar, was a writer and poet. His mother, Rajni, worked in insurance. Sachin's father named him after a famous music director. Sachin has three older half-siblings. His brother, Ajit, played cricket in Mumbai.

As a child, Sachin was interested in both tennis and cricket. He looked up to the American tennis player John McEnroe.

Discovering Cricket Talent

In 1984, his older brother Ajit introduced Sachin to cricket. Ajit took him to coach Ramakant Achrekar at Shivaji Park. At first, Sachin didn't play well because he felt shy. Ajit asked the coach to watch him from behind a tree. This time, Sachin played much better. He was then accepted into Achrekar's academy.

Achrekar was impressed and told Sachin to move to Sharadashram Vidyamandir School. This school was known for producing great cricketers. Sachin practiced for many hours every day. If he got tired, Achrekar would put a one-rupee coin on the stumps. The bowler who got Sachin out would win the coin. If Sachin stayed in without getting out, he would get the coin. Sachin says the 13 coins he won are very special to him.

Playing for Clubs and Teams

Besides school cricket, Tendulkar also played club cricket. At age 11, in 1984, he played for the John Bright Cricket Club. From 1988, he played for the Cricket Club of India.

In 1987, at 14, he went to the MRF Pace Foundation to train as a fast bowler. But the coach, Dennis Lillee, told him to focus on batting. Later, former Indian batsman Sunil Gavaskar gave Sachin his own lightweight pads. He told Sachin not to give up. Sachin said this was a huge encouragement for him. He also worked as a ball boy in the 1987 Cricket World Cup.

In 1988, Sachin and Vinod Kambli made a huge 664-run partnership in a school game. Sachin scored 326 runs without getting out. This was a record partnership for many years.

Early Professional Career

On 14 November 1987, at 14, Sachin was chosen for the Bombay team in the Ranji Trophy. He didn't play in the main eleven but was often a substitute fielder. A year later, on 11 December 1988, at 15, he played his first match for Bombay. He scored 100 runs without getting out. This made him the youngest Indian to score a century on debut in first-class cricket.

He also scored centuries in his first Deodhar and Duleep Trophy matches. These are other important Indian cricket tournaments. Sachin was Bombay's top run-scorer in the 1988–89 Ranji Trophy season. He scored 583 runs.

Playing in England and Australia

In 1992, at age 19, Tendulkar became the first player from outside Yorkshire to play for Yorkshire. He played 16 matches and scored 1,070 runs.

Sachin's reputation grew during the 1991–92 tour of Australia. He scored 148 runs without getting out in Sydney. This made him the youngest batsman to score a century in Australia. He then scored 114 runs in Perth against strong fast bowlers.

International Career Highlights

Sachin Tendulkar was chosen for the Indian tour of Pakistan in late 1989. He was only 16 years and 205 days old when he made his Test debut. He was also the youngest Indian to debut in ODI cricket.

First Matches and Early Centuries

In his first Test match against Pakistan in November 1989, he scored 15 runs. He was hit on the nose by a fast ball but kept batting. In an exhibition game, he scored 53 runs off just 18 balls. The Indian captain called it "one of the best innings I have seen."

On a 1990 tour to England, he became the second-youngest cricketer to score a Test century. He made 119 runs without getting out in Manchester. Wisden magazine praised his mature batting.

Rise in ODI Cricket

Tendulkar started opening the batting in ODI matches in 1994. He scored 82 runs off 49 balls against New Zealand. He scored his first ODI century on 9 September 1994 against Australia in Sri Lanka. It took him 78 ODI matches to score his first century.

Tendulkar waits at the bowler's end.

Tendulkar was the top run-scorer at the 1996 Cricket World Cup. He scored two centuries. He was the only Indian batsman who played well in the semi-final.

Facing Australia and Shane Warne

In 1998, Tendulkar scored 143 runs against Australia in Sharjah. This innings is famous as the "Desert Storm" because a sandstorm stopped the game. He hit 5 sixes against bowlers like Shane Warne. The ICC later voted this as his best ODI innings.

In early 1998, Australia toured India. The main focus was the battle between Tendulkar and spinner Shane Warne. Tendulkar scored 204 runs without getting out against Australia in a practice match. He also took five wickets in an ODI match in Kochi. After the series, Warne joked that he was having nightmares about Tendulkar.

Captaining the Indian Team

Tendulkar was captain of the Indian cricket team twice. These times were not very successful. He became captain in 1996. By 1997, the team was not doing well. He resigned in 2000, and Sourav Ganguly became captain.

In 2007, when Rahul Dravid wanted to stop being captain, the head of the BCCI offered the job to Tendulkar. But Tendulkar suggested Mahendra Singh Dhoni instead. Dhoni later became a very successful captain.

Breaking Records and World Cup Success

In 2002, Tendulkar scored his 29th Test century. This equaled Donald Bradman's record of 29 Test hundreds. He received a Ferrari car for this achievement. Later that year, he scored his 30th Test century, passing Bradman's record.

Tendulkar, upon reaching his 38th Test century against Australia in Sydney in 2008, where he finished not out on 154

In the 2003 Cricket World Cup, Tendulkar scored 673 runs. He helped India reach the final. Even though Australia won, Tendulkar was named the "Man of the Tournament."

In 2003–04, during a tour of Australia, Tendulkar scored 241 runs without getting out in Sydney. He batted for a very long time, helping India get into a strong position.

A tennis elbow injury kept him out of the team for most of 2004. He returned for the last two Tests when Australia toured India.

Return to Top Form

In 2007, Tendulkar returned to his opening batting position in a Test series against Bangladesh. He was named "Man of the Series." He also became the first player to score 15,000 runs in ODIs.

On 28 July 2007, Tendulkar became the third cricketer to complete 11,000 Test runs. In a series against Australia in October 2007, he was India's top run-scorer.

Historic Moment during winning of 2011 Cricket World Cup

In the 2007–08 series against Australia, Tendulkar scored 493 runs. He made an unbeaten 154 in the Sydney Test. This was his 38th Test century. He also scored 153 in Adelaide. He won the "Man of the Match" award.

In the ODI series against Sri Lanka and Australia, Tendulkar became the only batsman to complete 16,000 runs in ODIs. He scored a match-winning 117 runs without getting out in the first final.

Breaking Brian Lara's Record

In October 2008, during Australia's tour of India, Tendulkar broke Brian Lara's record for most Test runs. He scored 88 runs in the second Test. He also reached 12,000 Test runs. He called this his biggest achievement in 19 years.

First Double Century in ODIs

In 2010, in a Test series against South Africa, Tendulkar scored his 47th Test century. In the second match of the ODI series, Tendulkar scored 200 runs without getting out. He became the first batsman in the world to score a double century in ODI cricket. He broke the previous record of 194 runs.

Tendulkar's shot to reach 14,000 Test runs. He was batting against Australia in October 2010.

World Cup Win and Final Years

From February to April 2011, India hosted the 2011 World Cup. Tendulkar was India's top run-scorer with 482 runs and two centuries. India defeated Sri Lanka in the final. Tendulkar said, "Winning the World Cup is the proudest moment of my life."

On 8 November 2011, Tendulkar became the first cricketer to score 15,000 runs in Test cricket.

100th International Century

On 16 March 2012, Tendulkar achieved a huge milestone. He scored his 100th international century in a match against Bangladesh. This made him the first cricketer ever to reach this landmark. It was also his first ODI century against Bangladesh. Tendulkar said the constant focus on this milestone was very hard mentally. India lost that match to Bangladesh.

Retirement from Cricket

Tendulkar fielding in his 199th Test match in Eden Gardens (he is seen wearing a hat)

On 23 December 2012, Tendulkar announced he was retiring from One Day International cricket. He said he would continue to play Test matches. Former Indian captain Sourav Ganguly was surprised, saying Tendulkar could have played more.

He had already said in 2006 that he would not play Twenty20 International matches again. He retired from the Indian Premier League (IPL) after his team, Mumbai Indians, won the Indian Premier League 2013. He then retired from all Twenty20 and limited-overs cricket after playing the 2013 Champions League Twenty20 in September–October 2013.

On 10 October 2013, Tendulkar announced he would retire from all cricket after a two-Test series against West Indies in November. He asked for the matches to be played in Kolkata and Mumbai, his home ground. He scored 74 runs in his last Test innings. Cricket associations held events to celebrate his retirement.

Indian Premier League (IPL)

Tendulkar was made the "Icon player" and captain for his home team, the Mumbai Indians, in the first Indian Premier League (IPL) in 2008. He was signed for over $1.1 million.

In the 2010 IPL, Mumbai Indians reached the final. Tendulkar scored 618 runs, breaking the record for most runs in an IPL season. He was named "player of the tournament." He also won "Best Batsman" and "Best Captain" awards.

In the 2011 IPL, Tendulkar scored his first Twenty20 century. He made 100 runs without getting out off 66 balls. In 2013, he retired from the IPL. In 2014, he became the Mumbai Indians' "Team Icon." His last match was the final of the 2013 Champions League Twenty20, which Mumbai Indians won. He scored 2,334 runs in 78 IPL matches. Mumbai Indians retired his number 10 jersey to honor him.

Playing Style

Tendulkar plays a wristy leg-side flick

Tendulkar is "cross-dominant." This means he bats, bowls, and throws with his right hand, but writes with his left hand. He is known for his balanced batting style. He scores many centuries on fast, bouncy pitches in places like South Africa and Australia. His straight drive shot is very famous.

Sir Donald Bradman, considered the greatest batsman ever, thought Tendulkar's batting style was similar to his own. Bradman was impressed by Tendulkar's technique and how he hit the ball.

Tendulkar at the crease, getting ready to face a delivery

Over his career, Tendulkar's batting style changed. He became less attacking as he got older. He also added new shots, like the paddle sweep. He is praised for adapting his game while still scoring many runs.

Tendulkar has taken 201 wickets across all three formats of the international game.

Tendulkar was not a regular bowler, but he could bowl medium pace, leg spin, and off spin. He often bowled to break partnerships between opposing batsmen. He took 201 international wickets in his career.

Awards and Honours

2013 Indian postage stamps commemorating Sachin Tendulkar's 200th Test Match

Tendulkar has received many awards and honors throughout his career.

National Honours

• 1994 – Arjuna Award: Given by the Government of India for great achievements in sports.
• 1997–98 – Khel Ratna Award: India's highest sports honor.
• 1999 – Padma Shri: India's fourth-highest civilian award.
• 2001 – Maharashtra Bhushan Award: Maharashtra state's highest civilian award.
• 2008 – Padma Vibhushan: India's second-highest civilian award.
• 2010 – Honorary Group Captain in the Indian Air Force.
• 2014 – Bharat Ratna: India's highest civilian award.

International Honours

• 2012 – Honorary Member of the Order of Australia: Given by the Australian government.
• 2019 – Inducted into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame.
• 2020 – Laureus World Sports Award for Best Sporting Moment (2000–2020).

Sachin receiving the Padma Vibhushan from President Pratibha Patil in May 2008

Sachin receiving the Bharat Ratna Award from President Pranab Mukherjee in February 2014

Career Statistics

Runs Scored

Tendulkar is the top run-scorer in Test matches, with 15,921 runs. He is also the top run-scorer in ODI matches, with 18,426 runs. He is the only player to score more than 30,000 runs in all international cricket combined. He is also the first Indian to score 50,000 runs in all forms of recognized cricket.

He scored over 1,000 runs in a calendar year in ODIs 7 times. In 1998, he scored 1,894 runs, which is a record for a single year in ODIs. He was the first male cricketer to score a double-century in one-day cricket.

Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid formed a very successful partnership in Test cricket. They scored 6920 runs together for India.

He was the first batsman to score 12,000, 13,000, 14,000, and 15,000 runs in Test cricket. He was also the first player to score 10,000 runs in one-day internationals. On 8 November 2011, he became the first batsman to score 15,000 runs in Test Cricket.

Tendulkar has always done well in Cricket World Cups. He was the highest run-scorer in the 1996 Cricket World Cup and the 2003 Cricket World Cup.

Centuries Scored

Tendulkar's international centuries

	Test	ODI
Australia	11	9
Sri Lanka	9	8
South Africa	7	5
England	7	2
New Zealand	4	5
West Indies	3	4
Zimbabwe	3	5
Pakistan	2	5
Bangladesh	5	1
Kenya	NA	4
Namibia	NA	1

Tendulkar holds the record for the highest number of centuries in Tests (51). He is second in the number of centuries in ODIs (49) after Virat Kohli. He has the most centuries when Tests and ODIs are combined (100). He is the only player to score 50 centuries in Test cricket.

In 2008, Tendulkar became the player to cross the 50-run mark the most times in Test cricket history. He also became the second player to score 11 Test centuries against Australia. After his century against England in the 2011 Cricket World Cup, he became the player with the most centuries in Cricket World Cups (six). He was also the first player to score 2000 runs in World Cup cricket. On 16 March 2012, Tendulkar scored his 100th international hundred against Bangladesh.

Match Wins and Awards

He holds the world record for playing the most Test matches (200) and ODI matches (463). Tendulkar has been part of the most wins by an Indian in both Test cricket (72 wins) and ODIs (234 wins).

He has been named "Man of the Match" 13 times in Test matches and "Man of the Series" four times. In ODI, he has been "Man of the Match" 62 times and "Man of the Series" 15 times.

Performance Graph

An innings-by-innings breakdown of Tendulkar's Test match batting career showing runs scored (red and green bars) and the average of the last ten innings (blue line)

Personal Life

Sachin Tendulkar and his wife Anjali

On 24 May 1995, Tendulkar married Anjali Mehta. She was a paediatrician (a doctor for children). They first met in 1990. Anjali stopped her medical career after they got married. They have two children, Sara and Arjun. Tendulkar lives in a large house in Bandra, Mumbai.

Tendulkar is a Hindu. He follows Sathya Sai Baba. He visited him for the first time in 1997.

Business and Other Interests

Tendulkar's popularity made him a leader in cricket business deals in India. In 1995, he signed a big sports management deal. He later signed more large contracts. He also started his own sports management company.

Tendulkar has opened two restaurants in Mumbai. He also used to own a football team called Kerala Blasters FC and a badminton team called Bengaluru Blasters.

In 2013, Forbes magazine listed Tendulkar as one of the world's highest-paid athletes. His earnings were estimated at $22 million. In October 2013, his net worth was estimated at $160 million.

Political Career

In April 2012, President Pratibha Patil nominated Tendulkar to the Rajya Sabha. This is the upper house of India's parliament. He was the first active sportsperson to receive this honor. He took his oath on 4 June. He refused to accept a house in New Delhi, saying it was a "waste of taxpayers' money" since he lived in Mumbai.

Contribution of Funds

Tendulkar used money from his Member of Parliament fund to help others. In 2015, he gave money to a school in West Bengal. In 2019, he contributed money for the renovation of a Children's Park in Mumbai.

He donated his entire salary and allowances from his six years as a Member of Parliament to the Prime Minister Relief Fund. The Prime Minister's Office thanked him for this generous act.

Public Awareness and Charity Work

Tendulkar has his own charity, the Sachin Tendulkar Foundation. He also supports other organizations. Since November 2013, he has been a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador for South Asia and India.

Health Initiatives

In 2003, Tendulkar worked with UNICEF to spread awareness about polio prevention in India. In 2010, his campaign "Sachin's Crusade Against Cancer in Children" raised a lot of money. In 2021, he donated special cameras to a hospital to help diagnose eye problems in babies.

Sanitation Efforts

In 2008, Tendulkar joined UNICEF's effort to promote hygiene and sanitation. He led UNICEF's Team Swachh Bharat campaign. This supported the Indian government's Swachh Bharat Mission (Clean India Mission) to improve sanitation in India.

In 2014, Prime Minister Narendra Modi chose Tendulkar as one of the first celebrities to promote the Swachh Bharat Mission. Tendulkar accepted and posted a video of himself sweeping a street in Mumbai. In 2017, he helped sanitation workers clean a fort. In 2019, he was awarded for being the most effective "Cleanliness Ambassador."

COVID-19 Pandemic Relief

In March 2020, he donated money to the Prime Minister Relief Fund and the Chief Minister Relief Fund of Maharashtra during the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. In May 2020, he donated money to 4,000 people, including children. In April 2021, during the second wave of the pandemic, he donated a large sum to a group that imported oxygen machines.

Education Support

On 18 September 2011, Tendulkar spent nine hours on a telethon. This campaign raised money to build basic facilities, like toilets for girl students, in 140 government schools. Since 2009, Tendulkar has sponsored the education of 200 children each year through a non-governmental organization called Apnalaya.

Post-Playing Career

In 2015, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) appointed Tendulkar to the Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC). He worked with VVS Laxman and Sourav Ganguly to choose a head coach for the Indian cricket team. In 2019, a complaint against him was dismissed.

In 2019, Tendulkar started working as a Cricket commentator during the 2019 Cricket World Cup.

Images for kids

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  Sachin Tendulkar's signature

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  Indian Air Force Group Captain rank insignia

See also

In Spanish: Sachin Tendulkar para niños