On this day: Sachin Tendulkar makes international debut in 1989; retires on same date 24 years later in 2013

Very few people have made as much of an impact on world cricket as former Indian cricketer Sachin Tendulkar. The right-handed batsman made his international cricket debut on 15 November, 1989, against Pakistan. The Board of Cricket Control India (BCCI) took to social media recently to mark the momentous debut.

🗓️ #OnThisDay

1989: @sachin_rt made his #TeamIndia debut.

2013: The legend walked out to bat for the one final time in international cricket.

🇮🇳 🙌 👏 🙏 pic.twitter.com/L4hCxpLrGP

— BCCI (@BCCI) November 15, 2021

What many fans might not remember is that Tendulkar played his final international innings on 15 November, 2013, exactly 24 years after his debut. This makes the date special for all fans of the former batsman worldwide. Tendulkar’s debut match: In his debut match, Tendulkar made his debut during an India-Pakistan Test match in Karachi. Pakistan bowler Waqar Younis also made his debut that day, and was the one to dismiss Tendulkar. The then 16-year-old Tendulkar came to the crease when India was struggling at 41/4 in the Test. With a 32-run partnership with Mohammad Azharuddin, the batsman managed to score just 15 runs before being dismissed by Younis. Tendulkar did not get to bat a second time in the match, which was declared as a draw. Since his debut, Tendulkar went on to achieve unparalleled heights, with over 15,291 runs in 200 Tests at an average of 53.78. The former cricketer slammed 51 centuries in his Test career as well as 49 centuries in the ODI format. Tendulkar scored a staggering 18,426 runs in ODIs, at an average of 44.83. Tendulkar’s final match: In his final match, Tendulkar walked into his home ground at the Wankhede stadium in Mumbai, amid loud cheers. The match against West Indies saw the batsman score a breezy 74 off 118 balls, making his 68th international Test fifty. The final match of the ‘God of Cricket’ did see him play a fantastic knock, giving fans a last glimpse of the magic that was Tendulkar’s batting. In an emotional speech after the match, the former Indian cricketer thanked his family and team for being by his side. With this final innings, highest run scorer in the history of cricket finished his international career. Since then, he has remained the mentor of his former Indian Premier League (IPL) team Mumbai Indians.