(Reuters) – Little-known facts about Sachin Tendulkar, who announced yesterday he was retiring from all forms of cricket after playing his 200th test against West Indies next month.
* Tendulkar has 13 coins from his coach Ramakant Achrekar. He would win a coin if he got through an entire net session without being dismissed.
* Holds the unique distinction of scoring a century on debut in Ranji Trophy, Irani Trophy and Duleep Trophy.
* Tendulkar was a ball boy during the 1987 semi-final between India and England.
* There are two wards in New Delhi’s Tihar Jail, one named after Tendulkar and another after Vinod Kambli. The duo shared a 664-run unbroken partnership in a school match.
* Tendulkar was the first player to be given out by the third umpire in an international game.
* Everyone remembers Vangipurappu Laxman (281) and Rahul Dravid’s (180) 376-run partnership against Australia in a Kolkata test in 2001 after being asked to follow on. But many have forgotten Tendulkar’s three wickets in the second innings, including those of Matthew Hayden and Adam Gilchrist, to trigger the collapse.
* Tendulkar was the first individual without an aviation background to be awarded the honorary rank of Group Captain by the Indian Air Force.
