Sachin Tendulkar

Sachin Tendulkar, the God of Cricket, is a name that resonates with every cricket fan across the world. His journey from a young boy in Mumbai to becoming one of the greatest cricketers of all time is truly inspiring. But do you know about his firsts—his first school, first coach, first match, first car, or even his first crush?

In this post, we take you through some of the most interesting first experiences of Sachin Tendulkar, covering his childhood, personal life, cricket career, and iconic moments that shaped his legendary journey. Let’s dive into the world of Sachin’s firsts!

Sachin Tendulkar - Childhood & Education

First Nickname: “Tendlya” & “Little Master” (given by friends)
First Childhood Passion (Other than Cricket): Tennis (Huge fan of John McEnroe)
First Gift from His Father: A Tennis Racket
First Batting Position in School Cricket: Lower-order batsman (Later promoted as opener by coach Achrekar)

Sachin Tendulkar - Early Life & Education

First School: Sharadashram Vidyamandir School, Mumbai
First Coach: Ramakant Achrekar
First Cricket Club: Kamat Memorial Cricket Club
First Bat: Gifted by his sister, used in school tournaments

Sachin Tendulkar - Cricket Career

First Domestic Team: Mumbai (1988)
First Ranji Trophy Match: December 11, 1988, vs Gujarat (Scored 100* on debut at age 15)
First Duleep Trophy Match: 1989 for West Zone
First Irani Trophy Match: 1989 for Rest of India

Sachin Tendulkar - International Cricket Debut

First Test Match: November 15, 1989, vs Pakistan (Karachi)
First ODI Match: December 18, 1989, vs Pakistan (Gujranwala)
First Test Century: 119* vs England (Manchester, August 14, 1990)
First ODI Century: 110 vs Australia (Colombo, 1994)
First T20I Match: December 1, 2006, vs South Africa

Sachin Tendulkar - Personal Life

First Known Girlfriend: None publicly known before marriage
First Car: Maruti 800
First Endorsement Deal: Boost (1990s, “Boost is the secret of my energy”)
First Captaincy for India: 1996 (Became captain at 23)
First Crush: Anjali Mehta (Later became his wife)
First Love Proposal: Sachin saw Anjali at the Mumbai airport in 1990 and later connected with her through common friends
First Date: At Anjali’s house, where she tried to impress Sachin’s family
First Love Letter: Anjali wrote letters to Sachin when he was on tours since he wasn’t comfortable talking on the phone
First House Bought: Sahitya Sahawas, Bandra East, Mumbai (During his early cricket days)

Sachin Tendulkar - First Experiences & Preferences

First Time Watching Himself on TV: When he played in the 1988 Harris Shield Tournament
First Mobile Phone: A basic Nokia phone in the 1990s
First Luxury Watch: TAG Heuer (Later became its brand ambassador)
First Luxury Car: Fiat Palio (Upgraded later to a Ferrari 360 Modena gifted by Michael Schumacher)
First International Tour: Pakistan (1989, for his Test debut)
First Time Facing a Fast Bowler: Against Waqar Younis in his debut Test (Hit on the nose but continued playing)

Sachin Tendulkar - Achievements & Records

First Indian to Score a Double Century in ODIs: 200* vs South Africa (2010)
First Player to Score 100 International Centuries: Achieved in 2012
First IPL Team: Mumbai Indians (2008)
First Man of the Match Award in International Cricket: Test match vs England (1990)
First World Cup Win: 2011 (After playing in 6 World Cups)

Sachin Tendulkar - Career & Public Life

First Salary: ₹200 from his coach Ramakant Achrekar (for scoring well in practice matches)
First Time Featured on a Magazine Cover: Sportsweek (1989)
First Fan Craze Experience: A young fan touched his feet after his 1990 century against England
First Time Meeting His Idol (Sunil Gavaskar): During a school cricket match, Gavaskar gifted him a pair of gloves
First Bollywood Connection: Acted in a cameo role in the movie “Stumped” (2003)