Sachin Tendulkar had a monumental journey in international cricket. A career spanning 200 Tests, 15921 runs with 51 centuries in addition to 18426 runs in 463 ODIs made Tendulkar the ultimate batsman of this epoch.
For ardent cricket and Tendulkar fans, there is one date which is revered and that is November 15, 1989. It was on this day, 29 years ago, that the ‘Master Blaster’ started on his record-breaking international journey by making his Test debut for India against Pakistan. Facing up the likes of Wasim Akram, Imran Khan and Waqar Younis, who was also making his debut, in their own conditions was a daunting task.
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His first Test did not begin well as he was dismissed for 15 by Waqar. However, his tour got better and in only his second Test, the right-hander scored 59 in Faisalabad. It was in the Sialkot Test which showed that Tendulkar was a class apart. On a green track, Tendulkar came out to bat and was hit on the nose by a bouncer from Waqar. There was a deep cut and Tendulkar started bleeding, which left him dazed. However, with determination, he overcame the blow and scored an attacking 57.
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Later, in an exhibition game in Peshawar, Tendulkar would hit Abdul Qadir, considered to be the best legspinner at that time, for four consecutive sixes. The Pakistan tour signalled the arrival of a superstar.
So many records
Tendulkar, dubbed the ‘Master Blaster’ has so many records to his name. The most number of runs in Tests and ODIs, most centuries in both formats and the first player to hit 100 international centuries. In addition to his run-making capability, Tendulkar enthralled audiences the world over with his amazing strokeplay.
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On Twitter, Tendulkar shared the moment on his official page and said it was an honour to represent the country for 24 years.
After making his debut on November 15, Tendulkar announced his retirement on November 14, 2013 in the series against West Indies. His last knock of 74 and his final walk back into the dressing room of the Wankhede stadium in Mumbai marked the end of an epoch where fans revered him and made Indian cricket the ultimate thrill in the world. The BCCI also shared the event on their timeline to honour Tendulkar’s contribution to world cricket.
When Neil Armstrong became the first man to land on the moon, he spoke this famous sentence, “That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.” On November 15, 1989, when Tendulkar strode out on the world stage, the sentence from fans would be, “A small step by a youngster, a giant leap for cricket.”
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