When India’s cricket icon Sachin Tendulkar played for Pakistan

Long before he became India’s greatest batting icon, Sachin Tendulkar had an unusual introduction to international cricket – by taking the field for Pakistan.

Tendulkar made his official international debut against Imran Khan’s Pakistan in November 1989 as a 16-year-old. But nearly three years earlier, the cricket legend’s first appearance in an international setting came in Pakistan colours.

Exhibition match

The remarkable incident took place on January 20, 1987, during an exhibition match between India and Pakistan organised to celebrate the golden jubilee of the Cricket Club of India (CCI) at Mumbai’s Brabourne Stadium. The 40-over contest was played ahead of the five-Test series between India and Pakistan, which would also mark Sunil Gavaskar’s farewell series.

At the time, Tendulkar was just 13 years old and still more than three months away from his 14th birthday. When Pakistan found themselves short of fielders after a few players returned to the team hotel for a break, captain Imran Khan approached CCI skipper Hemant Kenkre for help.

Substitute players

Recalling the incident, Tendulkar’s childhood friend Marcus Couto, an umpire, told DNA Imran requested three or four local players to field as substitutes. Two youngsters nearby – Khushru Vasania and Sachin Tendulkar – were chosen.

“Sachin looked at Hemant and asked ‘Can I go?’. Before Hemant could even respond, Sachin was already running onto the field as a substitute for Pakistan,” Couto recalled. “He was on the field for around 25 minutes towards the end of the match.”

Tendulkar was stationed at deep midwicket on the boundary, while Vasania fielded on the off side.

Hemant Kenkre remembered the moment vividly. Along with former Mumbai batter Shishir Hattangadi, he had been assigned dressing room duties for the match.

“Pakistan’s Javed Miandad and Abdul Qadir had returned to the hotel, so we were asked if we had players who could field as substitutes,” Kenkre said. “Khushru was the first choice and Sachin the second. At one stage, a high catch went towards Sachin and he sprinted after it with everything he had. He couldn’t reach it, and he was visibly upset.”

Former India pacer Bharat Arun, who played for the Indian side in that exhibition match, also remembered hearing about the youngster afterwards. “To be honest, we didn’t know then that one of the substitute fielders was Tendulkar. Later we were told it was him and that he was an exceptionally talented boy,” Arun said.

Couto also recalled their train journey home after the match. Tendulkar couldn’t stop talking about being posted on the boundary and wondered whether one of the towering sixes could have been caught.

“He was disappointed he had been sent to the boundary line. He asked me if one of those shots was catchable, and I told him it would have been extremely difficult because it had gone into the first floor of the CCI stands,” Couto said.