Cricket might not be the most popular sport in the world but it reverberates in the hearts and minds of billion of Indians who follow the game passionately. It has often been said that cricket is a religion in India. The players are treated like demigods as they give the people of India a billion reasons to smile with their performances on the field. However, one player has always stood head and shoulders above the rest – Sachin Tendulkar, is regarded as the god of cricket in India.
As everyone knows that Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar aka Sachin Tendulkar is referred as the “God of Cricket”, although many don’t know the real reason behind the name. The legendary Indian cricketer took up cricket at the age of eleven.
With a career spanning nearly 24 years, Tendulkar became synonymous with the game in India. He has been arguably the greatest cricketer that the world has ever seen and was profoundly lauded for his consistency over his playing career.
Sachin Tendulkar is not just a legendary cricketer but a divine entity who made miracles visually possible for ordinary people whenever they sat in-front of their Television screen.
So, Let us see and understand why Sachin Tendulkar is called the ‘God of Cricket’.
When and where was “God of cricket” was born?
Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar aka Sachin Tendulkar was born at Nirmal Nursing Home in Dadar, Bombay (now Mumbai) on 24 April 1973 to a Rajapur Saraswat Brahmin Maharastrian family. He is a former Indian international cricketer who captained the Indian national team. He is regarded as one of the greatest batsmen in the history of Cricket.
He was born to Ramesh Tendulkar and Rajni Tendulkar. His father, Ramesh Tendulkar, was a well-known Marathi novelist & poet and his mother, Rajni Tendulkar, worked in the insurance industry. Ramesh named Tendulkar after his favourite music director, Sachin Dev Burman.
Sachin Tendulkar has three elder siblings two half-brothers Nitin Tendulkar and Ajit, and a half-sister Savita Tendulkar.
Sachin Tendulkar used to live in Sahitya Sahawas cooperative housing society in Bandra East. Sachin did his schooling from Sharadashram Vidyamandir High School in Dadar.
Cricketing Journey:
God of Cricket, Sachin Tendulkar started playing cricket from his school days and became a popular name in the cricketing world. He was known as a child prodigy.
Due to his raw talent, He led his school team to many victories. His world record stand with his friend Vinod Kambli of 664 runs where he scored 329 runs at the Sharadashram Vidyamandir.
Vinod Kambli and Sachin instantly became very good friends before debuting for India as they both studied in the Sharadashram Vidyamandir. Later on, Sachin also played Club Cricket for India’s Club Cricket and represented John Bright Cricket Club in Bombay.
He also trained in MRF pace foundation in Chennai as a fast bowler but was last advised by Sir Denis Lillee, former Australian Fast bowler, to focus more on Batting technique.
First Class Cricket:
On 14 November 1987, the 14-year-old, Tendulkar was selected to represent Bombay in the Ranji Trophy, for the 1987–88 season. However, he was not selected for the final eleven in any of the matches, though he was often used as a substitute fielder. He narrowly missed out on playing alongside his idol, Sunil Gavaskar, who had retired from all forms of cricket after the 1987 Cricket World Cup.
A year later, on 11 December 1988, aged 15 years and 232 days, Sachin Tendulkar made his debut for Bombay against Gujarat at Wankhede stadium and scored 100 not out in that match, making him the youngest Indian to score a century on debut in first-class cricket.
Sachin finished the season with 583 runs with an average of 67.77, becoming the highest run scorer for Bombay.
He was selected to play for the team by the then Bombay captain Dilip Vengsarkar after watching him easily playing India’s best fast bowler at the time, Kapil Dev, in the Wankhede Stadium’s Cricket practice nets, where the Indian team had come to play against the touring New Zealand team. Later on, Sachin Tendulkar went onto score centuries both in the Irani and Duleep trophies.
ODI & Test Cricket Debut:
In 1989, “The God of Cricket”, Sachin Tendulkar made his international ODI debut in December 1989 against Pakistan and Test debut on 15 November 1989. He became the youngest ever to debut for India in both formats. Although, he only made 15 runs, before being bowled by Waqar Younis.
During the fourth and final Test in Sialkot, Sachin got hit on the nose with a deadly bouncer bowled by Waqar Younis, and was bleeding continuously but he declined any medical assistance and continued to bat even as he spilled blood from his nose.
On 14 August, he became the second youngest cricketer to score a Test century as he made 119 not out in the second Test at Old Trafford in Manchester, his knock helped India to draw and save from a certain defeat in the match. Wisden described his innings as “a disciplined display of immense maturity”.
Sachin was also selected on the tour to Australia before the 1992 Cricket World Cup. Sachin Tendulkar played with superior elegance and scored an unbeaten 148 runs knock in the third Test at Sydney, making him the youngest batsman to score a century in Australia. Sachin scored 114 on a fast and bouncing pitch in the final Test at Perth against one of the best pace attacks comprising of Merv Hughes, Bruce Reid and Craig McDermott.
Sachin Tendulkar scored his first ODI century, against Australia of the Singer World Series at the R.Premedasa Stadium in Colombo on September 1994, he smashed 110 runs against the Aussies.
Sachin Tendulkar has scored 49 ODI centuries against 11 different opponents all over the world scoring the most centuries against Australia. In 2012 Sachin became the first cricketer to score 100 international centuries.
His 100th test century came against Bangladesh in 2012, during the Asia Cup. Sachin also became the first batsman to score a double century in ODI Cricket. He’s also holds the record for the most number of runs in both ODI and Test cricket.
Sachin Tendulkar has scored 50 test centuries the most in his glorious cricketing career. Sachin Tendulkar is the only player to have accomplished the 30,000 run mark in international cricket. He’s also the only player to accomplish rare ODI triple of scoring 15000+ runs along with taking 150+ wickets and 100+ catches.
In the 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup, Sachin Tendulkar played and integral part and led the Indian Cricket Team, Triumph as India defeated Sri Lanka in the 2011 final and lifted the Cricket World Cup after 28 years under the captaincy of Ms Dhoni.
Sachin Tendulkar retirement:
On November 16, 2013, “The God of Cricket”, Sachin Tendulkar said goodbye to the cricketing world at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai as his 24-year-long illustrious cricketing career came to an end. He announced his retirement ODI cricket after several disappointing knocks Tendulkar played his last ODI match in December 2012 and the Twenty20 match in October 2013.
His 200th test match against the West Indies was his last test match as on 16th November 2013 Tendulkar announced his retirement and gave farewell to the cricketing world as a player. Sachin Tendulkar played 664 international cricket matches in total, scoring 34,357 runs.
ODI records:
The highest number of centuries (49) and fifties (96)
Most centuries in a calendar year (9 in 1998)
The first person to score a double century
Maximum 150+ run-scores
The highest number of the Man of the Match awards (62)
Most Man of the Series awards (15)
Test Records:
The highest number of centuries (51).
Leading run-scorer (11,953)
Joint-fastest cricketer to reach 10,000 runs in Test cricket with Brian Lara
1000+ Test runs in a calendar years (6 times – 1997, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2008, 2010)
Only player in the world to have scored 5 Test centuries before turning 20.
Awards and Honours:
Arjuna Award – 1994.
Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award – 1997.
Padma Shri – 1999.
Maharashtra Bhushan Award – 2001.
Padma Vibhushan – 2008.
Cricketer of the Year – 2010
Bharat Ratna – 2013.
“Most Influential People in the World” – Time 100 List.
Laureus Award for best sporting moment for the last 20 years.
Indian Premier League:
Sachin Tendulkar playing in the Indian Premier League. He was made the Icon player and captain for his home side, the Mumbai Indians in the first edition of the Indian Premier League in 2008. He was signed for a sum of $1,121,250, 15% more than the second-highest-paid player in the team, Sanath Jayasuriya
In 2010 edition of the Indian Premier League, Mumbai Indians reached the final of the tournament. Tendulkar made 618 runs in 14 innings during the tournament, as he broke Shaun Marsh’s record of most runs in an IPL season. He became the player of the tournament for his performance during the season. He also won Best Batsman and Best Captain awards at 2010 IPL Awards ceremony. Sachin has scored more than 500 runs in IPL in two different seasons as a captain. Sachin Tendulkar also captained Mumbai Indians in 4 league matches of second edition of the league.
In the 2011 IPL, Tendulkar scored his maiden T20 hundred against Kochi Tuskers Kerela. He scored 100 not out off 66 balls. In 2013, Sachin retired from Indian Premier League.
In 2014 he was appointed as Mumbai Indian’s ‘Team Icon’. Sachin played his last match in 2013 Indian Premier League final, where he scored 14 runs , in Mumbai Indians triumph. In his 78 matches in the IPL, Tendulkar scored a total of 2,334 runs at the time of his retirement he was the fifth-highest run-scorer in the competition’s history. Mumbai Indians retired the number 10 jersey as a tribute to Sachin Tendulkar.
Later on, In 2021 Sachin became the Mentor for Mumbai Indians and guided many young prospects with his supervision and skills.
Sachin Tendulkar Cricket Technique:
The God of Cricket, Sachin is considered as the most elegant batsmen in the world. His balance and grace have always emerged. Tendulkar has always preferred hard and bouncy pitches as he has scored the most against South Africa and Australia. However, he could easily adapt his game and can easily play in any given conditions. He is also renowned for his picture-perfect straight drive. The straight drive is often said to be his favourite shot. Sachin Tendulkar can also bowl medium pace, leg spin, and off spin.
God of Cricket – Reason to Name Sachin Tendulkar Like This:
Making a century or a double century in ODI and Test Cricket might look easier to this generation of players. But during Sachin Tendulkar young cricketing career he played against some of the legendary bowlers in a tough Cricketing conditions.
Sachin Tendulkar always remained calm and composed in the field and usually answered with the bat for all the sledging and mocking actions from the bowlers against him. His calm personality on the pitch made him popular as in those times players will get into quarrel whenever they got sledged.
Apart from his attitude and his commitment Sachin Tendulkar created multiple records in cricket with both bat and ball. These unmatched stats created by Sachin Tendulkar make him the God of Cricket.
Everyone started to praise Sachin Tendulkar as the “God of Cricket” after he started to break all the cricket records and brought waves in cricket world.
Eventually, the Cricket God, Sachin Tendulkar also called as “Master Blaster”, and “Little Master”. Legend himself Brian Lara termed Sachin Tendulkar as “Bradman of modern era”
The “God of cricket” Sachin Tendulkar bags numerous records under his name which still stands a dream for many leading cricketers.
ODI Records – Centuries:
Sachin Tendulkar
Sachin Tendulkar
The highest number of centuries (49) and fifties (96)
Most centuries in a calendar year (9 in 1998)
The first person to score a double century
Maximum 150+ run-scores
The highest number of the Man of the Match awards (62)
Most Man of the Series awards (15)
Test Records:
Sachin Tendulkar scored 51 centuries in test match
Sachin Tendulkar scored 51 centuries in test match
The highest number of centuries (51)
Leading run-scorer (11,953)
Joint-fastest cricketer to reach 10,000 runs in Test cricket with Brian Lara
1000+ Test runs in a calendar years (6 times – 1997, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2008, 2010)
Only player in the world to have scored 5 Test centuries before turning 20
Interesting Facts:
At the 1987 World Cup, Tendulkar served as the ball boy. India was playing against England then.
Sachin Tendulkar actively involves himself in philanthropic activities. He sponsors underprivileged children through the NGO Apnalaya. He operates this NGO along with his mother-in-law.
Tendulkar’s autobiography “Playing It My Way” broke all records to become an instant bestseller. There are several books on his inspiring life. Also, Sachin: A Billion Dreams, his Biopic made it big in Bollywood.
Sachin Tendulkar was a devout disciple of guru Sathya Sai Baba of Puttaparthi. He cancelled his birthday celebrations after his guru’s death.
Famous Quotes by cricketers on Sachin Tendulkar:
Ms Dhoni
When we were growing up, we all used to watch Sachin. He was like God to us, he had that aura around him.
Sir Donald Bradman
Sir Donald George Bradman quoted, ” I saw him (Sachin) playing on television and was struck by his technique, so I asked my wife to come look at him. Now I never saw myself play, but I feel that this player is playing much the same as I used to play, and she looked at him on television and said yes, there is a similarity between the two…his compactness, technique, stroke production… it all seemed to gel”
Matthew Hayden
“I have seen God, he bats at no. 4 for India”
ANDY Flower
“There are two kinds of batsmen in the world. One, Sachin Tendulkar. Two, all the others”
Brian Lara
“The only batsman I would love to see by paying for the tickets and sitting in the stand just to watch him is none other than Sachin Tendulkar” and “Sachin is a genius. I’m a mere mortal”
Mark Taylor
“We did not lose to a team called India, we lost to a man called Sachin (after the two famous innings in Sharjah in 1998)”
A placard at the Sydney Cricket Ground
“Commit all your crimes when Sachin is batting. They will go unnoticed because even the Lord is watching”
Dennis Lillee
“If I’ve to bowl to Sachin, I’ll bowl with my helmet on. He hits the ball so hard”
BBC
“Beneath the helmet, under that unruly curly hair, inside the cranium, there is something we don’t know, something beyond scientific measure. Something that allows him to soar, to roam a territory of sport that, forget us, even those who are gifted enough to play alongside him cannot even fathom. When he goes out to bat, people switch on their television sets and switch off their lives- BBC sports, on Sachin Tendulkar.
Who is the New god of Cricket?
Currently many consider Rohit Sharma is the second God of cricket. After Sachin’s retirement, many considered Virat Kohli as the new God of cricket. Rohit Sharma has the stats and potential to be called the new God of cricket, and he is also often called the God of T20. But Virat Kohli, outclasses him in all the other aspects.
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