Sachin Tendulkar today became the most-capped Test cricketer in the world after taking field for his 169th match, the third and final of the ongoing series against Sri Lanka.

The 37-year-old batting maestro, who holds almost every batting record, overtook retired former Australian captain Steve Waugh with whom he was tied at 168 matches after the second Test at SSC.

Tendulkar, who has been around for two decades now, has also played 442 one—day internationals, just a couple of matches less than Sri Lankan Sanath Jayasuriya’s record of 444.

Tendulkar has scored 13,742 runs in 168 Tests at an average of 56.08, notching up 48 hundreds and 55 half—centuries in the process.
He has 17,598 runs, including 46 centuries, in his 442 one-dayers. The Mumbaikar also holds the distinction of being the first batsman to score a double hundred in ODIs.

Biography

Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar About this sound pronunciation (born 24 April 1973) is an Indian cricketer widely regarded as one of the greatest batsmen in the history of cricket. He is the leading run-scorer and century maker in Test and One Day International cricket.

He is the only player to score a double century in the history of ODI cricket. In 2002, just 12 years into his career Wisden ranked him the second greatest Test batsman of all time, behind Donald Bradman, and the second greatest one day international (ODI) batsman of all time, behind Viv Richards.

In September 2007, the Australian leg spinner Shane Warne rated Tendulkar as the greatest player he has played with or against. Tendulkar was the only player of the current generation to be included in Bradman’s Eleven. He is sometimes referred to as Little Master or Master Blaster.

Tendulkar is the first player to score fifty centuries in all international crickets combined, he now has 94 centuries in international cricket. On 17 October 2008, when he surpassed Brian Lara’s record for the most runs scored in Test Cricket, he also became the first batsman to score 12,000 runs in that form of the game, having also been the third batsman and first Indian to pass 11,000 runs in Test cricket.

He was also the first player to score 10,000 runs in one-day internationals, and also the first player to cross every subsequent 1000-run mark that has been crossed in ODI cricket history and 200 runs in a one-day international match. In the fourth Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia, Tendulkar surpassed Australia’s Allan Border to become the player to cross the 50-run mark the most number of times in Test cricket history, and also the second ever player to score 10 Test centuries against Australia, after only Sir Jack Hobbs of England more than 70 years previously.

Tendulkar passed 30,000 runs in international cricket on 20 November 2009, and has been honoured with the Padma Vibhushan award, India’s second highest civilian award, and the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award, India’s highest sporting honour.

Early domestic career

On 11 December 1988, aged just 15 years and 232 days, Tendulkar scored 100 not out in his debut first-class match for Bombay against Gujarat, making him the youngest Indian to score a century on first-class debut. He followed this by scoring a century in his first Deodhar and Duleep Trophy.

He was picked by the Mumbai captain Dilip Vengsarkar after seeing him negotiate Kapil Dev in the nets, and finished the season as Bombay’s highest run-scorer. He also made an unbeaten century in the Irani Trophy final, and was selected for the tour of Pakistan next year, after just one first class season.

His first double century was for Mumbai while playing against the visiting Australian team at the Brabourne Stadium in 1998. He is the only player to score a century in all three of his Ranji Trophy, Duleep Trophy and Irani Trophy debuts.

In 1992, at the age of 19, Tendulkar became the first overseas born player to represent YorkshireTendulkar played 16 first-class matches for the county and scored 1070 runs at an average of 46.52

International career

Tendulkar played his first Test match against Pakistan in Karachi in 1989 aged just 16. He made just 15 runs, being bowled by Waqar Younis, who also made his debut in that match, but was noted for how he handled numerous blows to his body at the hands of the Pakistani pace attack.

In the final test in Sialkot, he was hit on the nose by a bouncer, but he declined medical assistance and continued to bat even as he gushed blood from it. In a 20 over exhibition game in Peshawar, Tendulkar made 53 runs off 18 balls, including an over in which he scored 28 runs off Abdul Qadir.

This was later called “one of the best innings I have seen” by the then Indian captain Kris Srikkanth. In all, he scored 215 runs at an average of 35.83 in the Test series, and was dismissed without scoring a run in the only One Day International he played.

The series was followed by a tour of New Zealand in which he scored 117 runs at an average of 29.25 in, Tests including an innings of 88 in the Second Test. He was dismissed without scoring in one the two one-day games he played, and scored 36 in the other.

On his next tour, to England in 1990, he became the second youngest cricketer to score a Test century as he made 119* at Old Trafford. Wisden described his innings as “a disciplined display of immense maturity” and also wrote:

“He looked the embodiment of India’s famous opener, Gavaskar, and indeed was wearing a pair of his pads. While he displayed a full repertoire of strokes in compiling his maiden Test hundred, most remarkable were his off-side shots from the back foot. Though only 5ft 5in tall, he was still able to control without difficulty short deliveries from the English paceman.”

Tendulkar further enhanced his development during the 1991–1992 tour of Australia, that included an unbeaten 148 in Sydney and a century on a fast, bouncing pitch at Perth. Merv Hughes commented to Allan Border at the time that “This little prick’s going to get more runs than you, AB.

Captaincy

Tendulkar’s two tenures as captain of the Indian cricket team were not very successful. When Tendulkar took over as Captain in 1996, it was with huge hopes and expectations. However, by 1997 the team was performing poorly. Azharuddin was credited with saying “Nahin jeetega! Chote ki naseeb main jeet nahin hai!”, which translates into: “He won’t win! It’s not in the small one’s destiny!”

Tendulkar, succeeding Azharuddin as captain for his second term, then led India on a tour of Australia, where the visitors were comprehensively beaten 3–0 by the newly crowned world champions. Tendulkar, however, was at his usual best and won the player of the tournament award as well as player of the match in one of the games. After another Test series defeat, this time by a 0–2 margin at home against South Africa, Tendulkar resigned, and Sourav Ganguly took over as captain in 2000.

Tendulkar remains an integral part of the Indian team’s strategic processes. He is often seen in discussion with the captain, at times actively involved in building strategies. Former captain Rahul Dravid publicly acknowledged that Tendulkar had been suggesting moves such as the promotion of Irfan Pathan up the batting order which, although only temporary, had an immediate effect on the team’s fortunes. In 2007, Tendulkar was appointed vice-captain to captain Rahul Dravid.

During the Indian team’s 2007 tour of England, Dravid’s desire to resign from the captaincy became known. The BCCI President Sharad Pawar personally offered the captaincy to Tendulkar. However, Tendulkar asked Pawar not to appoint him captain, instead recommending Mahendra Singh Dhoni, to take-over the reigns. Pawar later revealed this conversation, crediting Tendulkar for first forwarding Dhoni’s name, who since achieved much success as captain.

ODI Records
Most runs in career. (17598 runs)
Most runs in an innings. (200* against South Africa)
Most runs in a calender year. (1894 runs in 1998)
Most runs against one team.(3005 runs against Australia)
Only player to score 200 runs.
Most Hundreds in career. (46 Hundreds)
Most Hundreds in a calendar year. (9 Hundreds in 1998)
Most Hundreds against one team. (9 Hundreds against Australia)
Most 150+ runs in career.(5 150+ runs)
Most Nineties in career. (18 Nineties)
Most times dismissed on 99. (3 times)
Most fifties in career. (93 Fifties)
Most fours in career. (1927 fours)
Most fours in an innings. (25 fours)
Fast to 10000 runs. ( 259 Inns)
Fast to 11000 runs. ( 276 Inns)
Fast to 12000 runs. (300 Inns)
Fast to 13000 runs. (321 Inns)
Fast to 14000 runs. (350 Inns)
Fast to 15000 runs. (377 Inns)
Fast to 16000 runs. (399 Inns)
Fast to 17000 runs. (435 Inns)
Hundred runs and 4 wickets in a match. (141 & 4/38 against Australia in 1998)
10000+ runs, 100+ wickets and 100+ catches in career.
Highest Partnership for any wicket. (331 runs with Rahul Dravid against New Zealand)
Highest partnership for 2nd wicket. (331 runs with Rahul Dravid against New Zealand)
Highest partnership for 3rd wicket. (237* runs with Rahul Dravid against Kenya)
Highest overall partnership by a pair. (8227 runs with Sourav Ganguly)
Highest overall partnership runs by openers. (6609 runs with Sourav Ganguly)
Most Hundred partnerships by a pair. (26 Hundred Partnership with Sourav Ganguly)
Most consecutive matches for a team. (185 matches)
Most Player Of the Match awards. (61 Awards)
Most Player of the Series awards. (15 Awards)

Test Records

Most runs in career. (13742 runs)
Most hundreds in career. (48 Hundreds)
Most fours in career. (1781+ Fours)
Two unbeaten 50+ runs in a match. (241* & 60* vs Australia in 2004)
Fast to 8000 runs. (154 Inns)
Fast to 12000 runs. (247 Inns)
Fast to 13,000 runs. (266 Inns)
Most hundred partnerships by a pair. (17 Hundred Partnership with Rahul Dravid)
Combined Test, ODI & T20I Records
Most Runs in career. (31350 Runs)
Most Hundreds in career. (94 Hundreds)
Most Hundreds in a calendar year. (12 Hundreds in 1998)
Most Hundreds against one team. (19 Hundreds against Australia)
Most Nineties in career.(25 Nineties)
Most Fifties in career. (147 Fifties)
Highest Overall Parnership runs by a pair. (12400 Runs with Sourav Ganguly)
Most Hundred Parnerships by a pair. (38 Hundreds with Sourav Ganguly)
Most matches in career. (611 Matches)
Most consequetive matches for a team. (239 Matches for India from 25 April 1990 to 24 April 1998)
Most ‘Player of the match’ awards. (73 Awards)
Most ‘Player of the series’ awards. (18 Awards)

World Cup Records

Most Runs. (1796 Runs)
Most Hundreds. (4 Hundreds)
Most Fifties. (13 Fifties)
Most runs in a series. (673 runs in 2003 World Cup)
Highest Parnership runs for 3rd wicket. (237 Runs with Rahul Dravid).