When it comes to cricket legends, one name stands tall above the rest – Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar. The “Master Blaster” or “Little Master”, as he is fondly called, is not just one of the greatest batsmen of all time, but also the richest cricketer in India as of 2024. With a net worth of around $165 million, Sachin has truly hit it out of the park, not just on the cricket field, but in the world of endorsements, investments and business ventures as well.
As Sachin turns 51 in 2024, let’s take a closer look at the incredible journey of this cricketing icon and how he became the wealthiest player in the nation’s favorite sport.
Early Life and Cricketing Career
Born on April 24, 1973 in Mumbai, Sachin took up cricket at the tender age of 11. His elder brother Ajit introduced him to the sport and to his first coach Ramakant Achrekar. The rest, as they say, is history.
Sachin’s prodigious talent was evident from a young age. At 14, he scored 329 out of a world-record stand of 664 in a school match. At 15, he scored a century on his first-class debut for Mumbai. And at just 16 years and 205 days, he became India’s youngest Test cricketer when he made his debut against Pakistan in 1989.
Over the next 24 years, Sachin went on to rewrite the record books and cement his place as one of the all-time greats of the game. Some of his most notable achievements:
- All-time highest run-scorer in both Test cricket (15,921 runs) and ODIs (18,426 runs)
- First batsman to score 100 international centuries (51 in Tests, 49 in ODIs)
- First cricketer to score a double century in ODIs (200* vs South Africa in 2010)
- Won the 2011 Cricket World Cup with India, his first in 6 appearances
- Named “Player of the Tournament” at the 2003 World Cup
- Received the Arjuna Award (1994), Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award (1997), Padma Shri (1999) and Padma Vibhushan (2008)
- First sportsperson and youngest recipient of the Bharat Ratna, India’s highest civilian award, in 2014
Sachin finally hung up his boots in 2013, leaving behind a legacy that will be nearly impossible to match. But his success extended well beyond the 22 yards.
Endorsements and Business Ventures
With his unparalleled popularity and clean image, Sachin has been a sponsor’s dream throughout his career and even after retirement. He reportedly earns Rs 20-22 crore annually just from brand endorsements. Some of the major brands he has endorsed include:
- BMW
- Adidas
- Unacademy
- MRF
- Luminous
- Quaker Oats
- VISA
- Pepsi
- Boost
Sachin also co-owns the Indian Super League football team Kerala Blasters FC and the badminton team Bengaluru Blasters. He is also the co-founder of the sports management firm SRT Sports Management Pvt Ltd.
But perhaps his biggest venture is the one closest to his heart – the SRT Sports Academy, which he launched in 2018 to provide world-class training facilities and coaching to budding cricketers. With centers across India, UK and Dubai, Sachin is giving back to the sport that gave him so much.
Investments and Assets
Apart from his earnings, Sachin has also made some smart investments over the years that have contributed to his massive net worth. Some of his major assets include:
- A 6,000 square foot house in Bandra West, Mumbai worth over Rs 80 crore
- A 4BHK villa in Goa
- A luxury apartment in Pune
- A fleet of luxury cars including a BMW X5M, BMW M5, BMW 7-series, BMW i8, Ferrari 360 Modena, and Nissan GT-R
Sachin also has stakes in the following companies:
- Sach (a virtual reality gaming arcade in Mumbai)
- Smaaash Entertainment (a sports-based entertainment company)
- S Drive (a tech-enabled car service company)
- True Blue (his own menswear brand launched in 2016)
Philanthropy and Social Work
Despite his wealth and success, Sachin has remained grounded and committed to giving back to society. He has been involved with various charitable causes over the years, including:
- Apnalaya, an NGO that works for the upliftment of slum dwellers in Mumbai
- Support for paediatric cancer patients through the Make-A-Wish Foundation
- HIV/AIDS awareness campaigns with UNICEF
- Helping underprivileged children through the Spreading Happiness InDiya Foundation
In 2012, Sachin also became a member of the Rajya Sabha (the upper house of the Indian Parliament) as a nominated member. During his 6-year term, he focused on issues related to sports and education.
Legacy and Impact
Sachin’s impact on Indian cricket and the nation as a whole is immeasurable. He inspired an entire generation to take up the sport and united the country like few others could. His batting style, combining technical perfection with raw aggression, changed the way the game was played and perceived.
But beyond his cricketing achievements, Sachin also became a symbol of hope and aspiration for millions of Indians. His rise from a middle-class family in Mumbai to global superstardom is a classic underdog story that resonated with people across the country.
As former Indian captain Sourav Ganguly put it, “Sachin Tendulkar has carried the burden of the nation for 21 years. It is time we carried him on our shoulders.” And that’s exactly what India did when he retired in 2013, giving him a farewell befitting a king.
Today, as he turns 51 and enjoys the fruits of his labor, Sachin continues to inspire and influence the sport and its fans. His records may be broken one day, but his legacy as India’s greatest cricketer and one of its most beloved sons will endure forever.
Interesting Facts and Trivia
Here are some fascinating facts and anecdotes about Sachin Tendulkar that you may not know:
- Sachin’s first bat was gifted to him by his elder sister Savita from Kashmir.
- He served as a ball boy during the 1987 Cricket World Cup held in India.
- His first car was a Maruti 800, which he bought with his early match fees.
- He is ambidextrous – he bats, bowls and writes with his right hand, but eats and brushes with his left hand!
- He is the only player to score a century on debut in Ranji Trophy, Irani Trophy and Duleep Trophy.
- His favourite shot is the straight drive, while his favourite bowler to face was Hansie Cronje.
- He has more than 29 million followers on Twitter, making him the 2nd most followed Indian on the platform after PM Narendra Modi.
- He is a foodie and loves seafood, especially prawns and crabs.
- His biography “Playing It My Way”, released in 2014, broke all records for an adult hardback on pre-order subscriptions across both fiction and non-fiction categories.
- He has been honoured with a wax statue at Madame Tussauds in London and Mumbai.
So there you have it – the incredible story of Sachin Tendulkar, the boy wonder who became the god of cricket and the richest player in India. His journey is a testament to the power of hard work, dedication, and passion for the game. As he turns a year older and wiser, let us celebrate the man, the myth, the legend that is Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar. Happy birthday, Master Blaster!
