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Full name Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar
Born April 24, 1973, Bombay (now Mumbai), Maharashtra
Current age 35 years 208 days
Major teams India,Asia XI,Mumbai,Mumbai Indians,Yorkshire
Nickname Tendlya, Little Master
Batting style Right-hand bat
Bowling style Right-arm offbreak, Legbreak googly
Height
5 ft 5 in
Education Sharadashram Vidyamandir School
Pakistan v India at Karachi, Nov 15-20, 1989 scorecard
Last Test
India v Australia at Nagpur, Nov 6-10, 2008 scorecard
Test statistics
ODI debut
Pakistan v India at Gujranwala, Dec 18, 1989 scorecard
Last ODI
Australia v India at Brisbane, Mar 4, 2008 scorecard
ODI statistics
Only T20I
South Africa v India at Johannesburg, Dec 1, 2006 scorecard
T20I statistics
First-class debut
1988/89
Last First-class
India v Australia at Nagpur, Nov 6-10, 2008 scorecard
List A debut
1989/90
Last List A
Australia v India at Brisbane, Mar 4, 2008 scorecard
Twenty20 debut
South Africa v India at Johannesburg, Dec 1, 2006 scorecard
Last Twenty20
Bangalore Royal Challengers v Mumbai Indians at Bangalore, May 28, 2008 scorecard
Profile
Sachin Tendulkar has been the most complete batsman of his time, and arguably the biggest cricket icon as well. His batting is based on the purest principles: perfect balance, economy of movement, precision in stroke-making, and that intangible quality given only to geniuses, anticipation. If he doesn't have a signature stroke - the upright, back-foot punch comes close - it is because he is equally proficient in each of the full range of orthodox shots (and plenty of improvised ones as well) and can pull them out at will.
Though he has adopted a noticeably conservative approach in the last quarter of his career, there are no apparent weaknesses in Tendulkar's game. He can score all around the wicket, off both front foot and back, and has made runs in all parts of the world in all conditions.
Some of his finest performances have come against Australia, the overwhelmingly dominant team of his era. His century as a 19-year old on a lightning fast pitch at the WACA is considered one of the best innings ever to have been played in Australia. A few years later he received the ultimate compliment from the ultimate batsman when Don Bradman confided to his wife that Tendulkar reminded him of himself.
Blessed with the keenest of cricket minds, and armed with a loathing for losing, Tendulkar set about doing what it took to become one of the best batsmen in the world. This was after he was turned away from a fast-bowling camp in Chennai by Dennis Lillee.
Tendulkar's greatness was established early: he was only 16 when he made his Test debut. He was hit on the mouth by Waqar Younis but continued to bat, in a blood-soaked shirt. His first Test hundred, a match-saving one at Old Trafford, came when he was 17, and he had 16 Test hundreds before he turned 25. In 2000 he became the first batsman to have scored 50 international hundreds, and in 2008 he passed Brian Lara as the leading Test run-scorer and the first to 12,000 runs. He currently holds the record for most hundreds in both Tests and ODIs - remarkable, considering he didn't score his first ODI hundred till his 79th match.
Tendulkar's considerable achievements seem greater still when looked at in the light of the burden of expectations he has had to bear from his adoring but somewhat unreasonable followers, who have been prone to regard anything less than a hundred as a failure. The aura may have dimmed, if only slightly, as the years on the international circuit have taken their toll on the body, but Tendulkar remains, by a distance, the most worshipped cricketer in the world.
Sambit Bal October 2008
Notes
Wisden Cricketer of the Year 1997
Timeline
February 23-25, 1988 Monster in the making
Sachin Tendulkar, 14, and Vinod Kambli, 16 compile a 664-run unbroken partnership for Shardashram Vidyamandir against St Xavier's at Azad Maidan. Kambli makes 349 not out, Tendulkar 326 not out. It remains the highest partnership recorded in any form of cricket, until in November 2006 two schoolboys from Hyderabad - Manoj Kumar and Mohammad Shaibaz - overtake the record with an unbeaten 721-run partnership.
December 11, 1988 Truly first-class debut
At 15, scores an unbeaten century against Gujarat at the Wankhede Stadium to become the youngest Indian to make a hundred on first-class debut. Was picked after Bombay captain Dilip Vengsarkar watched him negotiate Kapil Dev in the nets.
December 14, 1989 Bloody-minded to start with
On the last day of the last Test of his first Test series, in Sialkot, gets hit on the nose by Waqar Younis - also in his first series. Falls down, gets up, and wipes away the gushing blood. Medical assistance is declined. Is eventually out for 57.
At 17 years and 112 days, becomes the then second-youngest centurion in Test history. His 119 not out against England at Old Trafford is a majestic rearguard action that enables India to hang on for a draw. It still remains among his most valuable Test innings.
February 2-3, 1992 Crazy diamond
Sculpts a counter-attacking gem of 114, after it is 135 for 6, then 159 for 8, at the WACA, the bounciest cricket pitch in the world. It is his favourite Test innings.
At 19 years and 217 days, becomes the youngest player to reach 1000 Test runs, during his 111 out of India's 227 in Johannesburg.
February 11-12, 1993 Mad in Madras
Scores his first Test century at home. Hits 24 fours and a six in his 165 against England, as India win by an innings and 22 runs.
November 24, 1993 Golden arm is unveiled
With South Africa needing six runs to win off the last over of their Hero Cup semi-final against India, bowls a sensational over, giving them just three, and India victory.
Scores a century in a famous decider of a famous series, against Australia. India win 2-1, denying Australia the "final frontier".
March 31, 2001 The road less traveled
Becomes the first player to score 10,000 runs in one-day cricket in the course of his 139 against Australia in Indore.
November 19, 2001 Ball-tampering?
Is cautioned and fined by match referee Mike Denness for trying to "change the condition of the ball" during the Port Elizabeth Test. The resulting outcry in India and the impasse between the Indian board and the ICC leads the latter to review the jurisdiction of match referees.
Is tied down by the over-the-stumps tactics of Ashley Giles in Bangalore, and is stumped for the first time in his Test career. It also highlights the start of his discomfort against left-arm spinners.
August 22-23, 2002 Move over, Sir Don
Overtakes Don Bradman's tally of 29 Test centuries, misses double-century by seven at Headingley, but India win by an innings and 46 runs.
September 5, 2002 Fastest hundred
Becomes the youngest man ever to play 100 Tests, scores 54 in a drawn Test at The Oval. Apart from three Tests due to injury, he has not missed any since his debut, and has played 84 on the trot.
Scores 673 runs at 61.18 in the World Cup, taking India to within a win of the world crown. His 98 against Pakistan in an exceptionally anticipated match is one of the best knocks played by Indians at World Cups. Even though Australia are the champions, he is named the Man of the Series.
August, 2003 Privilege, what privilege?
Draws flak for a duty waiver on the Ferrari 360 Modena, which is gifted to him by the Fiat group on his passing Bradman's mark of 29 Test centuries. Finally offers to pay the $245,000 duty, which is covered for by Fiat.
January2-4, 2004 Economy over style
Scores a century without a cover-drive, goes on to get an unbeaten 241 in Sydney, and rates it the best among his centuries. Australia manage to hold on for a draw, and the series ends 1-1.
Scores an unbeaten 194 in Sehwag's Multan Test. Later says he was surprised the Indian team declared with him so close to the double-century.
August, 2004 Cost of playing catches up
Tennis elbow surfaces, during the Videocon Cup in Holland. Misses the Champions Trophy in England, and then the first two home Tests against Australia.
March 16, 2005 Ten thousand, twice over
Becomes the fifth man to score 10000 Test runs in course of his 52 against Pakistan in Kolkata. India win the match by 192 runs.
Is "rested" for the first time in his career, for the three-ODI series in Bangladesh. Scores two centuries in the two following Tests.
August, 2007 Finally, a win outside subcontinent
With 228 runs at 38.00, makes a significant contribution to his first Test-series win outside the subcontinent, as India beat England 1-0 to win the Pataudi Trophy.
January 4, 2008 Sachin Cricket Ground
At an SCG full of worshippers, scores a sublime unbeaten 154, his first century in more than two years and 19 Tests, against opposition other than Bangladesh.
Scores his first ODI century in Australia, in first of the CB Series final. The innings is the foundation India build their first tri-series in Australia on.
October 17, 2008 Scaling the summit
At 2.31pm on a hot Mohali Friday, Tendulkar steers debutant Peter Siddle towards the third-man boundary for three runs to break Brian Lara's record for most Test runs.
England pile up 519 on a benign pitch, and India reply with 432. England stretch the lead to 407, and though the pitch is still good and the bowling (Malcolm, Fraser, Lewis, Hemmings) not terribly menacing, India find themselves in deep water at 127 for 5 with only one recognised batsman left. And he's only 17 years old. Tendulkar battles for nearly four hours, grimly but never dourly, and ends the day with 119. India lose only one more wicket, ending up with 343. With one more session, they might even have won.
114 v Australia, Perth, 1991-92
The fastest pitch in Australia has been reserved for the last Test. India have been beaten already, only humiliation awaits. Batting first, Australia score 346. Tendulkar enters at a relatively comfortable 100 for 3, but watches the next five wickets go down for 59. Tendulkar is the next man out... at 240. He has scored 118 of the 140 runs added while he is at the crease, and has made them in such an awe-inspiring manner that commentators are asking themselves when they last saw an innings as good.
169 v South Africa, Cape Town, 1996-97
Batting first, South Africa make a matchwinning 529. Playing only for honour, India find themselves groveling before Donald, Pollock, McMillan and Klusener. Tendulkar and Mohammad Azharuddin get together at 58 for 5, and start spanking the bowling as if they were playing a club game in the park. They add 222 for the sixth wicket in less than two sessions, and Tendulkar has 26 boundaries in his score of 169. Even Donald says that he felt like clapping.
Seventy-one runs in arrears, India start the second innings and despite Navjot Singh Sidhu's 64 find themselves only 44 in front when Tendulkar joins Rahul Dravid. The duo has to contend with Shane Warne bowling from round the wicket and into the rough. Tendulkar, who has practised against Laxman Sivaramakrishnan and a few other bowlers on artificially created rough patch before this series, decides to take apart Warne. In a breathtaking assault, with the match hanging in balance, he deploys his unique slog sweeps against the spin to steer India past Australia and snatch a matchwinning 347-run lead.
Twin centuries v Australia, Sharjah, 1997-98
India are chasing Australia's 284, but more importantly they need to score 254 to beat New Zealand on net run-rate, and make their way to the final. Single-handedly, Tendulkar takes India close to the cut-off when sandstorms disrupt the play. Just when making it to the final looks difficult, Tendulkar not only takes them beyond that target, but for a brief while even flirts with a win.
Twin centuries v Australia, Sharjah, 1997-98
It surely couldn't have got better. It does. Two days later, at the same venue, chasing a similar 273 to win the final, Tendulkar decimates the Australian attack. By the time he is out in the 45th over, he has left India only 25 more to get. Shane Warne is so devastated he confesses Tendulkar hits him for sixes in his nightmares.
Six months after having destroyed Aussie bowlers' psyche, Tendulkar meets them again in big-match environment: the semi-final of the ICC Champions Trophy. And again, single-handedly, he puts Australia out of the game with his third century against them in three matches. His 141 come in 128 balls, and India are 280 in the 46th over when he gets out. To put the matter beyond doubt, Tendulkar kills an interesting contest by dismissing Steve Waugh, Michael Bevan, and Damien Martyn in his 4 for 38. Tendulkar is clearly dominating Australia like no other single player has ever done before.
Few Indian batting performances have been as heroic, or as tragic. Chasing 271 in the fourth innings of a low-scoring match, India experience a familiar top-order collapse, and are sinking fast at 82 for 5. Tendulkar finds an able ally in Nayan Mongia, and rebuilds the innings in a painstaking, un-Tendulkarlike manner. After helping add 136 for the sixth wicket, Mongia departs to an ungainly pull, and Tendulkar's back is also giving way. Tendulkar shifts up a gear or two, and starts dealing only in boundaries. But one error of judgment and it's all over. Saqlain Mushtaq defeats his intended lofted on-drive with a magical ball that drifts the other way, catches the outer part of Tendulkar's bat and balloons up to mid-off. The tail disgrace themselves, and India fall short by a gut-wrenching 13 runs.
233 not out v Tamil Nadu, Mumbai, 1999-2000
It's a Ranji semi-final against a strong Tamil Nadu, and Mumbai are looking down the barrel after their bowlers have given away 485 runs. First-innings lead is crucial in this contest, but Mumbai look down for the count at 127 for 4. This is when old pal Vinod Kambli joins Tendulkar, and they see Mumbai out of trouble. But they are not anywhere near home when Kambli falls with the score at 266. Tendulkar then takes charge, and with the lower order, sees Mumbai just past Tamil Nadu's total and into a final Mumbai would win. This is just the kind of against-the-odds matchwinning knock that has eluded him at international level. Perhaps that's why he later says, "This is one of my best innings. This includes one-day internationals and Test cricket also."
On the first day on an overseas series, India's plight is a familiar one - four down for 68, with all the wickets going just the way the South Africans expected - to rising balls. Tendulkar has a debutant for company, with another to follow. He takes 17 balls to score his first run, but 101 come off the next 97 deliveries. It isn't the prettiest of Tendulkar's Test tons, but it is one of the most savage, characterised by pulls and vicious upper-cuts. The South Africans have a plan for India, and Tendulkar makes a mockery of it. By the time Tendulkar's innings ends, India are reasonably well-placed, though they go on to lose the Test.
98 v Pakistan, Centurion, 2003
Tendulkar has been compelled to live this World Cup match
against Pakistan for a year in advance. He has not slept properly for 12 nights going into the match. A target of 274 set for India, bat in hand, Tendulkar shows no anxiety whatsoever. Or is it that nervous energy? He just finishes his hyped battle against Shoaib Akhtar in the latter's first over with an uppercut for six, and then a flick and a straight block for two boundaries. Every bowler is dealt with similar disdain. He has not looked more pumped up before. And although he misses a special century, he leaves the match sealed in the 28th over.
117 not out v Australia, Sydney, 2007-08
Going into the first final of the CB Series, Tendulkar has not achieved many things: an ODI century in Australia, a century in 37 innings, a chase-winning century since 2001, a century in any chase since March 2004. In a 235-minute masterclass, he washes it all away, scoring 117 off 120 balls and leading India to the 240-run target on a difficult wicket just about solo. He dominates in the initial overs, shepherds the tentative middle order, and stays unbeaten to see the side home.
