NNEW DELHI: Sachin Tendulkar faded into history on Saturday after a record-breaking career that set new batting standards for 24 years and saw the brilliant Indian batsman leave a legacy to remember.
The ‘Little Master’ finally departed the scene aged 40 after playing a record 200th Test match in front of home fans at Mumbai’s Wankhede stadium where a stand is named after him.
The most influential contemporary cricketer, and the highest run-maker in history, will be remembered as an icon who was consistently brilliant, universally admired and modest to a fault.
“Cricket will go on and records will be broken, but there will never be a player like Sachin again,” India’s first World Cup winning captain Kapil Dev, himself an icon of the sport, told AFP.
“He was truly one in a billion. We should celebrate his retirement, not regret it.”
For more than two decades, Tendulkar grabbed the headlines like no other cricketer and barely put a foot wrong despite years of high-pressure national expectations and fierce media attention.
He remained the smiling, boyish figure he was when he burst onto the world stage in 1989, aged 16, and ended as the world’s leading Test and one-day scorer and the only man to record 100 international centuries.
Tendulkar held almost all coveted batting records except Don Bradman’s career average of 99.94, and Brian Lara’s individual scores of 400 not out in Tests and an unbeaten 501 in first-class cricket.
But ever the team man, Tendulkar said the crowning glory of his career was India’s triumphant campaign in the 50-over World Cup in 2011 when they beat Sri Lanka in the final in Mumbai.
More than his cricketing exploits that earned him demi-god status in India, Tendulkar was revered by fans and team-mates alike for his humility and soft-spoken nature.
Born in a middle-class family in Mumbai to Marathi-language novelist Ramesh and Rajni, Tendulkar was mentored from an early age by elder brother Ajit, himself an enthusiastic cricketer.
Tired of seeing his 11-year-old sibling break window panes while batting in the neighborhood, Ajit took Sachin to renowned coach Ramakant Achrekar to learn the nuances of the sport.
The extraordinary career was launched with a world record partnership of 664 with close friend Vinod Kambli in schools cricket in 1988 when Tendulkar was just 15.
“Sachin’s quick growth as a cricketer surprised us all,” the usually reclusive Ajit said recently in a rare television interview. “For me, Sachin was a millionaire only when he got a hundred.
“All of us in the family dreamt about his cricket. It will now be a different feeling. He is finishing on a happy note. Most of his dreams have come true. I believe he has also fulfilled the dreams of Indian fans.”
Tendulkar, who preferred to let his bat do the talking, spoke little about the issues surrounding the game. But he remained influential with those that mattered.
It was Tendulkar’s reported opposition to the Decision Review System (DRS) that has made India spurn it. It is also said that current Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni got the job on his recommendation.
In an age of controversial sporting heroes, Tendulkar is a remarkable exception, but he was hauled up for suspected ball tampering on a tour of South Africa in 2001.
Then on a tour of Australia in 2008, he saved Harbhajan Singh from a possible lengthy ban in the ‘Monkeygate’ scandal by convincing the judge that his team-mate was innocent, leaving the Aussies furious.
Tendulkar’s longevity and a string of lucrative commercial endorsements for everything from watches to cement has brought him huge wealth — Forbes estimated his annual earnings at $22 million in a June survey.
He has an insatiable love of fast cars and once owned a Ferrari, but his otherwise humble, family-based approach to life has meant fans still feel a close bond with him.
When he moved into a new luxury house in Mumbai with his wife Anjali, a medical doctor, and two children, in 2011, the news was greeted nationwide with the interest of delighted relatives.
Tendulkar is a nominated member of parliament and has also helped raise funds for numerous causes like the campaign against cancer and the creation of basic facilities, particularly toilets for girls, in 140 government schools across the country.
'One in a billion' Tendulkar bids goodbye
'One in a billion' Tendulkar bids goodbye
The sum of all fears
- After 3 years and millions spent on over 50 foreign and local players and 3 new coaches, the question fans and pundits are asking is: Where is Al-Nassr’s return on investment?
- Ronaldo’s PR war with the club and the Saudi Pro League is now being played out in public after he missed a second straight game against Al-Ittihad
RIYADH: Cristiano Ronaldo’s famed PR prowess is in full flow as controversy surrounding his refusal to play for Al-Nassr continues. Meanwhile, his club and the Saudi Pro League are standing their ground. And across the Kingdom, and around the world, the question fans and pundits are asking is: Where is Al-Nassr’s return on investment since the Portuguese superstar joined just over three years ago?
A solitary Arab Club Champions Cup in 2023, with no major domestic or continental titles, would be — for a club of Al-Nassr’s stature — unacceptable during any period, never mind one which includes Ronaldo and a host of expensive foreign and local signings.
The club have signed over 50 players in the Ronaldo era and appointed three full-time coaches, including incumbent Jorge Jesus. The return has been scant, to say the least.
The club’s malaise on the pitch has been matched in the boardroom with a host of changes taking place during the continuing trophy drought. In 2024, Al-Nassr’s President Ibrahim Al-Muhaidib resigned due to lack of control at the club and was eventually replaced by Abdullah Al-Majid.
In January of 2025, Majid Al-Jam’an replaced Al-Nassr’s CEO at the time of Ronaldo’s arrival, Guido Fienga, whose role changed to club adviser. Following restructuring demands by Ronaldo, Al-Jam’an himself was replaced last summer with Jose Semedo. At the same time, Simao Coutinho replaced former Real Madrid legend Fernando Hierro as sporting director.
Such turmoil has hardly been conducive to success and trophies, despite all the incoming signings.
The fallout from Ronaldo’s refusal to play for Al-Nassr since the last day of the winter transfer window continues to be felt almost a week on.
It is safe to say the direction of Saudi football itself has shifted dramatically since the turn of the month. With the transfer window initially not producing any fireworks, it seemed like all the focus would return to the title race between Al-Hilal, Al-Nassr, Al-Ahli and Al-Qadsiah as the season entered its final third.
That changed following a contract renewal dispute between Karim Benzema and Al-Ittihad, which led to the Frenchman’s departure. A swift move to Al-Nassr’s city rivals and league leaders Al-Hilal followed, leading to the dramatic fallout that caused shockwaves across the football industry.
The repercussions of Benzema’s transfer have reshaped the league’s landscape. Ronaldo, reportedly frustrated that Al-Nassr had only signed Hayder Abdulkareem from Al-Zawraa and Abdullah Al-Hamdan from Al-Hilal, withdrew from his side’s clash with Al-Riyadh on Feb. 2.
As reports emerged suggesting that Ronaldo was unhappy with the way the Public Investment Fund was managing the league’s four major clubs, global media attention turned to how the situation would unfold.
Despite the noise off the field, Al-Nassr remain just one point behind Al-Hilal in the title race with more than a third of the games still to play.
The side endured a difficult run against Al-Qadsiah, Al-Ahli and Al-Hilal, but the league remains wide open with all four sides still in contention.
While Ronaldo returned to training amid false reports of his departure from the Kingdom, he missed a second consecutive match on Feb. 6 — a 2-0 win against Benzema’s former club Al-Ittihad.
It is fair to say that the drama has been the biggest seen in Saudi football since Ronaldo joined at the end of 2022, and arguably one of the biggest ever.
It is not the first time that the 41-year-old star has leveraged his status in world football to drive his ambitions, and his grievances, to the fore. His move to Saudi had taken place following an infamous interview with international television host Piers Morgan in which he criticized his then-club Manchester United, leading to his signing for Al-Nassr.
Now, with no clarity on whether Ronaldo will feature against Al-Fateh on Feb. 14, questions surrounding his immediate future remain unanswered.
A day prior to the Al-Ittihad encounter, a Saudi Pro League spokesperson revealed in an official statement to the BBC that “no individual — however significant — determines decisions beyond their own club.”
However, an Al Arabiya source outlined there were four factors behind Ronaldo’s reported dissatisfaction.
Firstly, Al-Nassr were said to be close to signing Saud Abdulhamid, but the deal collapsed amid claims that Al-Hilal, one of the player’s former clubs, believed his return to the league should only be with them.
Secondly, the source claimed Al-Nassr did not receive the same backing as Al-Hilal during the transfer window.
Thirdly, the league leaders made four foreign signings, including Benzema, to dwarf Al-Nassr’s efforts.
The source finally alleged that Ronaldo believed Al-Nassr’s CEO and sporting director had been restricted in their ability to operate.
While many fans continue to voice their support for Ronaldo, alternative viewpoints have emerged as his absence has continued.
Sports lawyer Ahmed Al-Shikhi posted on social media that, based on the official FIFA Transfer Matching System data for 2025, Al-Nassr were the highest spending club not just in Saudi Arabia, but across Asia.
Some fans have noted that, despite the club’s heavy spending, Al-Nassr remain the only member of Saudi Arabia’s traditional “big four” not to have won a major trophy since Ronaldo’s arrival.
For his part, renowned sports commentator and former Saudi footballer, Turki Al-Awad, defended Al-Nassr and eluded that given everything Cristiano Ronaldo has offered Saudi football, "the GOAT" should be above criticism.
“Ronaldo was the first to join the Saudi project, and on that basis, he should be treated (with respect), with the issue resolved quickly. We were very happy with his arrival, and he added a lot to us,” he said recently on Fi Al Marmi, a leading sports talkshow on Al-Arabiya News Channel.
On a similar note, Piers Morgan also voiced his support for Ronaldo.
Posting on X, he wrote: “Cristiano has revolutionised Saudi football in a way nobody else could have done. He just wants a level playing field”.
The situation ultimately underscores the growing tension between individual star power and institutional governance within the Saudi Pro League.
As the title race is set to enter its decisive phase in the coming weeks — including a Riyadh derby that could prove pivotal — it remains to be seen whether Ronaldo’s absence proves a momentary protest or a sign of deeper friction that will become clearer in the coming weeks.
For now, the episode has shone a light on the fact that the Saudi Pro League’s evolution is entering a more complex phase — one in which the battle between stars and structure proves difficult to govern.
