Tendulkar recalls he fielded for Pakistan before his India debut

Published May 31, 2021
Sachin Tendulkar said he nearly caught out Kapil Dev in the match but could not get to the ball despite running a long way. — AFP/File
Sachin Tendulkar said he nearly caught out Kapil Dev in the match but could not get to the ball despite running a long way. — AFP/File

Indian batting legend Sachin Tendulkar has revealed that before making his international debut for his country, he took the field for Pakistan in a fixture between the teams of the two neighbouring states.

The batting great, in his autobiography, Playing It My Way, recollected taking the field for Pakistan in 1987 – two years before his India debut in 1989.

It is a well-documented fact that Tendulkar made his official international debut against arch-rivals Pakistan in 1989 in Karachi, but very few people are aware of the fact that he got his first taste of international cricket when he fielded for Pakistan in a match against India at Brabourne Stadium, Mumbai.

Read: My experience watching Tendulkar's international debut in Pakistan

In his book, he also wondered whether the then-Pakistan captain, Imran Khan, remembers employing him in the field.

"I don't know whether Imran Khan remembers this or has any idea that I once fielded for his Pakistan team," writes Tendulkar in an excerpt quoted by zeenews.india.com.

The Master Blaster further recalled that Pakistan cricketers Javed Miandad and Abdul Qadir had left the field during the lunch break. As the standby fielder, Tendulkar was asked to field for the visiting team.

Tendulkar also mentioned how he nearly caught out Kapil Dev in the match but could not get to the ball despite running a long way. He explained that if he had been placed at mid-on rather than long-on, he could have taken part in the dismissal for Pakistan.

Tendulkar is the highest run-scorer ever in Test matches and one-day internationals. He retired in 2013.

Opinion

Editorial

Military option
Updated 21 Nov, 2024

Military option

While restoring peace is essential, addressing Balochistan’s socioeconomic deprivation is equally important.
HIV/AIDS disaster
21 Nov, 2024

HIV/AIDS disaster

A TORTUROUS sense of déjà vu is attached to the latest health fiasco at Multan’s Nishtar Hospital. The largest...
Dubious pardon
21 Nov, 2024

Dubious pardon

IT is disturbing how a crime as grave as custodial death has culminated in an out-of-court ‘settlement’. The...
Islamabad protest
Updated 20 Nov, 2024

Islamabad protest

As Nov 24 draws nearer, both the PTI and the Islamabad administration must remain wary and keep within the limits of reason and the law.
PIA uncertainty
20 Nov, 2024

PIA uncertainty

THE failed attempt to privatise the national flag carrier late last month has led to a fierce debate around the...
T20 disappointment
20 Nov, 2024

T20 disappointment

AFTER experiencing the historic high of the One-day International series triumph against Australia, Pakistan came...