Sachin Tendulkar first time earned the call from Team India when he was just 16. At this age, mostly the teenagers are guessing which field to choose but Sachin had already got the admission in the gentlemen’s game. The teenager was marvellously handling the pressure in the field and hitting cover drives and straight drives to dangerous bowlers. His batting style has astonished the cricket world as he marked his arrival.
Having made the debut against Pakistan in 1989, he capitalized every opportunity and went on to play the game for 24 years, creating history in the game. He concentrated on three D’s that is dedication, determination, and discipline which made him the “God of Cricket”.
As today, Sachin turns 47, here we briefly discuss about his lesser-known facts.
Sachin Tendulkar from a teenager to the legend:
Raj Singh Dungarpur-led the Indian selection committee introduced Sachin in the Indian team. The Mumbai player had a prolific Ranji Trophy in 1988-89 season which caught the eye of the selectors.
He played the first match against Pakistan and scored 15 runs against the fast bowling attack of Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis. He scored his first Test century against England in Manchester in 1990, after which, he didn’t stop scoring centuries. In every other tour, he went up to hit a ton and led India to save the game.
In 1999, against New Zealand, he scored his first Test double hundred at home. He became a nightmare to the bowlers who could not find a way to pick his wicket.
Well, every player has an up and down in the career. Sachin also had when he was handed over the captaincy of the team. The team went on to lose one after the other game which led Sachin resign from the post, and in 2000, Sourav Ganguly took over the reins.
In 2010, Sachin created history against South Africa as he went on to become the first cricketer to score an ODI double century. And the next year, he fulfilled the dream to lift the World Cup trophy. After making appearances in the marquee tournament for the joint record sixth time, in 2011, he lifted the trophy under the captaincy of MS Dhoni.
The greatest cricketer announced his retirement from the international cricket in 2013. After more than six years of his retirement, the 47-year-old continues to be the leading run-scorer in international cricket with 34, 357 runs — 15,921 in Tests, 18426 in ODIs, and 10 from a solitary T20I.
Sachin Tendulkar: What is he up to now
After retirement, Sachin became a member of the Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC). He had also done commentary for big games. The legendary cricketer has decided not to celebrate his latest birthday as to show respect to the doctors, policemen, and many frontline workers who are fighting against COVID-19.
Sachin Tendulkar: Lesser known facts
Well, very few people would know that Sachin played for Pakistan national cricket team for once. He came on as a substitute fielder for Pakistan in a one-day practice match against India at Brabourne stadium in 1998.
Interestingly, younger Sachin dreamt to become the fast bowler and enrolled himself at the MRF Pace Academy, where the head coach Dennis Lillee asked him to concentrate on batting. Tendulkar has more five-wicket hauls in ODI cricket than spin legend Shane Warne.
He has been adjudged with Arjuna Award, Rajive Khel Ratna Award, Padam Shri and Padam Vibhushan. In 2014, he became the first sportsperson to receive the Bharat Ratna award.