Sachin Tendulkar

Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar (born 24 April 1973) is a former Indian cricketer widely regarded as the greatest batsman in the history of cricket. Known as the "God of Cricket," "Master Blaster," and "Little Master," Tendulkar holds virtually every batting record in international cricket, including the most runs in both Test cricket (15,921) and One Day Internationals (18,426), and the most centuries in international cricket (100). Born in Mumbai, Tendulkar was introduced to cricket at age 11 by his brother Ajit. He made his international debut for India in 1989 at just 16 years old against Pakistan in Karachi. Despite facing the fearsome Pakistani pace attack of Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis, the teenager showed remarkable composure and determination. By 1990, he scored his first Test century against England at Old Trafford, Manchester. Over his 24-year international career (1989-2013), Tendulkar represented India in 200 Test matches and 463 One Day Internationals. He scored 51 Test centuries and 49 ODI centuries — a combined 100 international centuries that remains unmatched. His highest Test score of 248 not out came against Bangladesh in Dhaka. In ODIs, he was the first player to score a double century (200 not out) in 2010 against South Africa. Tendulkar was a central figure in Indian cricket's transformation from an underperforming team to a global powerhouse. He was part of the Indian team that won the 2011 Cricket World Cup — a tournament he had dreamed of winning since childhood. The image of Tendulkar being carried on his teammates' shoulders after the final victory at Wankhede Stadium remains one of cricket's most iconic moments. Beyond cricket, Tendulkar has been a member of the Rajya Sabha (upper house of Indian Parliament), a successful businessman with interests in sports management and hospitality, and a prolific philanthropist. He established the Sachin Tendulkar Foundation to support education and healthcare for underprivileged children. His autobiography "Playing It My Way" became a bestseller. Tendulkar's impact transcends cricket — he is a cultural icon and a source of national pride for over 1.4 billion Indians.