Sachin Tendulkar Biography | Life History

Early Life and Education

Sachin Tendulkar’s journey began at Indian Education Society’s New English School in Bandra East, Mumbai. Born into a family with a cricketing background, his elder brother, Ajit Tendulkar, played alongside notable cricketers like Chandrakant Pandit and Lalchand Rajput. His father, Ramesh Tendulkar, named him after the renowned music director Sachin Dev Burman, highlighting the family’s cultural inclination.

Personal Life and Family

Sachin’s personal life saw significant milestones at an early age. At 17, while returning from a tour in England, he met his future wife, Anjali, at the Mumbai airport. They married when Sachin was 22. His father-in-law, Anand Mehta, is a seven-time national bridge champion. Sachin’s daughter, Sara, is named after the Sahara Cup, the first tournament Sachin won as a captain in 1997.

Early Cricketing Career

Sachin’s early cricketing days are filled with fascinating anecdotes. Sunil Gavaskar gifted a young Sachin his ultra-light pads, which were later stolen during an under-15 national camp. Dilip Vengsarkar presented Sachin with a GM bat when he was selected for the under-15 Bombay squad. Notably, Dennis Lillie rejected Sachin’s aspiration to become a fast bowler at the MRF Pace Foundation. His first century came while playing for Shardashram Vidyamandir against Don Bosco School in the Harris Shield quarter-final at Shivaji Park.

Notable Debuts and Performances

Sachin made his international debut in the 1989 Karachi Test alongside Waqar Younis, Salil Ankola, and Shahid Saeed. His debut Test was also Kapil Dev’s 100th. Though his ODI debut against Pakistan resulted in a duck, he scored his first Test century against England at Old Trafford, Manchester, in 1990. A unique fact is that Sachin’s first bowling figures in both Tests and ODIs are identical: 1-0-10-0.

Unique Records and Milestones

Sachin’s cricketing journey is dotted with numerous records and interesting facts. He was the first batsman to be given out by a third umpire in the 1992 Test series in South Africa. Sachin became the first overseas cricketer to play for Yorkshire County Cricket Club. During the Kotla Test against Pakistan, where Anil Kumble took a perfect 10, Sachin handed Kumble’s sweater and cap to the umpire at the start of each over, seemingly bringing luck as Kumble took wickets each time.

Partnerships and Achievements

Sachin’s cricketing partnerships are legendary, particularly with Rahul Dravid, with whom he shared 20 century partnerships, amassing over 6000 runs. It took him 79 matches to score his first ODI century, after which he scored 48 more. Sachin holds the record for completing his hundred with a six the most number of times, achieving this feat on six occasions. The highest number of centuries at a single ground for Sachin is seven, scored at the Sharjah Cricket Association Stadium.

Trivia and Contributions

Sachin carries India’s national flag in his cricket bag and sports it on his helmet, symbolizing his patriotism. He accompanied Shane Warne to Sir Don Bradman’s house on Bradman’s 90th birthday. In 2007, Virgin Comics created a superhero named ‘Master Blaster’ based on Sachin. His bat sponsors included MRF, which also sponsored Brian Lara and Steve Waugh. Sachin endorsed numerous products, starting with ‘Band-Aid’ as a teenager, and in 2010, a toothpaste named ‘Sach’ was launched in his honor.