Tendulkar On What It's Like To Play Under Weight Of Expectation: 'Pressure Is Because Of...'

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Sachin played 200 Test matches for India during his 24-year-long international career and, with the help of 51 centuries and 68 fifties, scored 15,921 runs.
Sachin Tendulkar is arguably the greatest cricketer of all time. Tendulkar, after making his international debut as a 16-year-old against Pakistan in November 1989, played at the highest level for 24 years and scored more than 34,000 runs for India with the help of 100 centuries across formats. Throughout his international career, Tendulkar carried the huge weight of expectations from a billion fans, and on most occasions, he lived up to the expectations as well.
Tendulkar, who inaugurated the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy in Leeds on Thursday (June 19), ahead of the first Test of the five-match series between India and England, opened up about the weight of expectations and said he enjoyed those.
According to the leading run getter in Test and ODI cricket, 'I enjoyed those expectations. People keep talking about pressure. Pressure is because of your past performances, and that is what I worked hard for. It's all about how you think. You know how you're able to convince yourself when you look in the mirror that okay, this is what I wanted in life, and this is what I worked hard for; this is the moment to go out and enjoy, and I felt it was the right thing to happen to me because it kept me on my toes. Imagine if I was walking out and nobody was expecting anything of me; possibly then I'd be in the wrong profession."
'People talk about pressure. Pressure only comes from your past performances."Two greats of the game discuss what it's like to play under such a weight of expectation.
Series between England and India will now be played for the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy. pic.twitter.com/ONivHdjod2
— Test Match Special (@bbctms) June 19, 2025
Tendulkar, who called time on his international career in November 2013, still holds the record of being the most capped player in Tests and ODIs, and he has also scored the most runs in Tests and the one-day format of the game.
Anderson, who is England's most capped Test player and all-time leading run getter in international cricket, praised Tendulkar and lauded his longevity.
'When our careers sort of crossed over, I kind of looked up to him, not just from a cricketing point of view, but that longevity—I think that's what you're always looking for, inspiration, and that for me, you know, playing 200 Test matches with that pressure, carrying the hopes and dreams of a nation on your shoulders as well, is absolutely incredible."
First Published:
June 19, 2025, 22:34 IST

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