Sporting Bygones: ‘Steady’ impression made by Tendulkar in Yorkshire ahead of remarkable career

THE dedication on the photograph – written with an artist’s flourish above his Yorkshire shirt – is simple and to the point.
Sachin signs for Yorkshire in April 1992 in BombaySachin signs for Yorkshire in April 1992 in Bombay
Sachin signs for Yorkshire in April 1992 in Bombay

It reads “To Chris keep smiling, S Tendulkar”.

It is among the most cherished possessions of Chris Hassell, the former Yorkshire chief executive, who is the man looking down in Bombay in April 1992 as Sachin Tendulkar signs on the dotted line of his contract to become Yorkshire’s first overseas player.

No doubt the picture is worth a few quid now, given that Tendulkar – in the week of his final Test match – has gone on to become arguably the best (and certainly the most feted) batsman of our generation.

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Since Tendulkar lightly rested his right hand on Hassell’s briefcase and put pen to paper with his left, he has gone on to sign probably as many autographs as he has scored runs (more than 50,000 in all forms of the game).

There is a delightful innocence about this precious picture, a freshness in the face of a sportsman who has risen to such incredible heights.

It captures perhaps the last period of calm before the full-on storm, one that would see Tendulkar swept up in a suffocating cocoon of hero worship that has made his extraordinary achievements – and dignified manner – all the more remarkable.

Forget the pressure of being Yorkshire’s first overseas player (a challenge in itself given the widespread resistance to the idea at the time), this is a man whose every move has been headline news for the past 20 years; if Tendulkar has so much as reached for his handkerchief, it has been a back page story from Mumbai to Melbourne.

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Of course, the first stirrings of reverence had already begun by the time Tendulkar signed for his adopted county.

He had made his Test debut in November 1989, and he famously scored his first Test century against England at Old Trafford the following year, an innings of 119 not out that revealed prodigious potential.

At the time of this photograph, he had just followed up with another two Test hundreds – 148 not out against Australia at Sydney and 114 against them in Perth.

He was just beginning to come into his own.

Tendulkar’s impact at Yorkshire was immediate and favourable.

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The public warmed to his gentle manner; he was talented, yes, but he was humble to boot.

Before long, other photographs would show him smiling while wearing a flat cap and holding a pint of bitter, props that looked endearingly unsuitable.

And, as the Yorkshire director of cricket Martyn Moxon has said, it was obvious that Yorkshire had signed not only an outstanding cricketer – but an outstanding person.

“Sachin was only a young guy at the time but he had already made an impact on the international scene,” remembered Moxon.

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“In hindsight, we could not have picked a better guy to be our first overseas player.

“I remember vividly the first time we met him at The Oval.

“You could tell that he was a special talent.

“He was very mature for his age and the way he handled the media attention was very impressive; he quickly became a firm favourite with the public.

“Sachin took the time to speak to the fans and acknowledge them all, and it made him popular right from the start.

“The whole package – both on and off the field – you could just see that there was something special about him.”

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Tendulkar’s year at Yorkshire was perhaps more steady than spectacular.

He scored 1,070 runs in 16 County Championship games at an average of 46.52.

There was only one century – an even 100 at the Racecourse Ground at Durham that helped his team to a five-wicket win, with a certain Ian Botham dismissing him just before the victory was achieved.

But there were three 80s, two 90s and a number of other solidly impressive scores throughout the season.

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In 25 Championship innings, Tendulkar was only four times dismissed in single figures.

For much of his career, however, this is a man who has dealt only in high numbers.

The most striking of them, perhaps, is the sheer achievement of playing 200 Test matches – one that requires an extraordinary level of form and fitness.

He has come a long, long way since this signed photograph from 1992.

And it is not only Chris Hassell that Tendulkar has managed to “keep smiling” – but the rest of us also.