IND vs ENG 3rd Test: Sachin Tendulkar honoured with portrait at Lord's

July 10, 2025 turned out to be a special day for Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar as his larger-than-life portrait was unveiled at the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) museum in house of the Lord's cricket ground just before the start of the third Test between India and England. The portrait was painted from a photograph taken by the artist in Tendulkar’s home in Mumbai 18 years ago. Tendulkar also received the honour of ringing the iconic Lord's bell before the start of play.

Painted by well-known British artist Stuart Pearson Wright, the portrait captures Tendulkar’s calm intensity through a dramatic close-up of his face and shoulders read a release by Lord's. Unlike traditional full-length player portraits, this one focuses on Tendulkar’s expression, highlighting his legacy and the weight of Indian cricketing hopes he carried on his shoulders.

Also Read | IND vs ENG: In Bumrah's comeback, Nitish Reddy stuns England with double-wicket over - WATCH

“This is a huge honour. In 1983, I saw India win the World Cup and watched Kapil Dev lift the trophy at Lord’s. That moment lit the fire in me. To now see my portrait here, life has truly come full circle.” Tendulkar was quoted saying at the unveiling.

The God of cricket also took to X to express his emotions. He wrote in a post, “Truly special moment unveiling my portrait at Lord’s. Humbled and honoured to be part of this historic venue’s legacy. Thank you, MCC, for the love and respect.”

Stuart Pearson Wright, who previously painted legends like Kapil Dev, Bishan Singh Bedi and Dilip Vengsarkar, said this one was unique from the rest four. "We wanted something bold, something powerful. A headshot was the best way to show the seriousness and focus that defined Sachin’s career,'' the artist was quoted saying at the launch.

With Tendulkar, there are now five Indian cricketers whose portraits are part of MCC’s collection at the Home of Cricket, joining Kapil Dev, Bishan Singh Bedi, Dilip Vengsarkar and Rahul Dravid.

Tendulkar's legacy is unmatched in Indian cricket. He is a synonym for perfection and dedication. Across his illustrious career, which spanned 24 years from 1989 to 2013, Tendulkar amassed 34,357 runs in Tests, ODIs and T20Is for India. He still holds the record for most international centuries (100) and is the leading run-getter in Test cricket with 15,921 runs.