Sachin Tendulkar

Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar was born in Dadar, Mumbai (then Bombay), into a middle-class Maharashtrian family. His elder brother Ajit recognised his talent early and introduced him to coach Ramakant Achrekar at Shivaji Park. Tendulkar would cycle to training sessions before dawn, such was his dedication. By sixteen, he was scoring centuries for India.

Tendulkar made his Test debut against Pakistan in Karachi in November 1989, aged 16 years and 205 days. He faced Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis — two of the most feared fast bowlers of the era — and was hit on the nose by a bouncer, bleeding and bruised. He refused to leave the field. His character was defined in that moment.

Over the next 24 years, Tendulkar accumulated records that may never be approached. 100 international centuries. 34,357 international runs. 200 Test matches. He averaged over 44 in Tests and 44 in ODIs throughout a career spanning the pre-television era to the digital age. When he batted, India stopped. Railway platforms fell silent. Office workers abandoned computers. A television-less nation went to shops to watch its god play.

The one trophy that eluded him — the ICC Cricket World Cup — was won in 2011, when India hosted and won the tournament on home soil, defeating Sri Lanka in the final at Mumbai's Wankhede Stadium. Tendulkar was carried around the ground on his teammates' shoulders. He described it as the greatest moment of his cricketing life, and there was not a dry eye in the country.