Cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar, known for his sharp memory and iconic batting skills, recently shared a clever reply when asked about never getting his name on the prestigious Lord’s honours board. While many cricket greats have missed this milestone, Tendulkar chose to highlight a special knock that still brings pride.
During a portrait unveiling ceremony at the MCC Museum, commentator Mark Nicholas jokingly asked Tendulkar, “You didn’t get on the Lord’s Honours Board. What happened? High-quality English bowling, I imagine.”
With a smile, Tendulkar quickly responded, “I thought that in 1998, when we played a memorial game, I got a hundred then. Glenn McGrath, Allan Donald, Srinath, Kumble, and McMillan... But one normally thinks about having your name on the Honours Board. Somehow it wasn’t meant to happen, but it did happen.”
He was referring to the match where he scored a century for the Rest of the World XI against MCC. His performance earned him the Player of the Match award.
Rules of the Honours Board
At Lord’s, only international centuries or five-wicket hauls get players’ names etched onto the iconic honours board. Despite Tendulkar’s long and successful career, he never achieved an international century at Lord’s. Yet, his effort in that 1998 memorial game came against top-class bowlers and remains a memorable feat.
A New Place in MCC History
Tendulkar’s portrait was recently unveiled at the MCC Museum, making it the fifth Indian cricketer’s portrait to join the MCC’s collection. His image now stands alongside Kapil Dev, Bishan Singh Bedi, and Dilip Vengsarkar—three other Indian greats. Interestingly, all four portraits were painted by artist Stuart Pearson Wright.
Unlike the full-length paintings of others, Tendulkar’s portrait is a powerful head-and-shoulders composition. It was based on a photo taken at his home in Mumbai 18 years ago.
Tendulkar’s Unmatched Legacy
Tendulkar remains the highest run-scorer in international cricket history with 34,357 runs. He is also the only player to have scored 100 international centuries. Despite missing the honours board at Lord’s, his legacy continues to shine both on and off the field.