Tendulkar Emerged Into the Manchester Murk an Unknown and Departed a Star

Richard Edwards recalls when the world had to sit up and take notice of a 17-year-old who became known as the Little Master

- Richard Edwards

As far as arrival announcements went this was deafening.India were staring defeat firmly in the face when a diminutive 17-year-old strode to the crease against a rampant England attack scenting further Indian blood after a first Test humiliation of the tourists at Lord’s in the summer of 1990.

By the time this Mumbai-born prodigy had exited his stage, unbowed and grinning broadly, 225 minutes later, there was an acceptance from those lucky enough to have witnessed the innings that Sachin Tendulkar was going to be around for some time to come. His life was never going to be quite the same again.

Tendulkar would amass 15,921 runs in a career spanning 14 years and 200 Tests but that first hundred on a typically overcast afternoon in Manchester would be the defining moment.

He had already given notice of his extraordinary talent in the first innings of that match as a support act to the imperious Mohammad Azharuddin who took England’s attack apart in a sensational innings of 179.

The pair would be reunited at the crease on that final afternoon, but by the time Tendulkar emerged from the gloom of the Old Trafford pavilion to join his captain both could have been forgiven for thinking the game was up. Chasing a nominal target of 408, India were already four wickets down, and when Azharuddin departed soon after, dismissed by Eddie Hemmings – some 25 years Tendulkar’s senior – England were closing in on a 2-0 series lead.

Surely, seasoned watchers reasoned, England’s victory procession wasn’t going to be derailed by a 17-year-old averaging a then far from extraordinary 33 after his first eight Tests.

The Little Master had already created something of a buzz that summer, smashing a century against Derbyshire at Chesterfield in a warm-up for the Texaco Trophy series in mid-July.