A larger-than-life portrait of Sachin Tendulkar was unveiled at the MCC Museum at Lord’s ahead of the third Test between England v India Men’s, honouring one of the greatest cricketers the game has ever seen. Painted by British artist Stuart Pearson Wright, the portrait captures Tendulkar’s head and shoulders in striking detail, with an abstract background that reflects his timeless legacy.
The painting, based on a photograph taken at Tendulkar’s home in Mumbai 18 years ago, is the fifth portrait of an Indian cricketer to join MCC’s prestigious collection. Four of those—including Kapil Dev, Bishan Bedi, Dilip Vengsarkar, and now Tendulkar—have been created by Pearson Wright.
Tendulkar also rang the iconic five-minute bell to signal the start of day one of the Lord’s Test between India and England on Thursday. The ongoing five-match series, named after Tendulkar and James Anderson in honour of their contributions to the game, is currently tied at 1-1.
Unlike the earlier full-length pieces, this portrait adopts a bold new approach, focusing solely on Tendulkar’s face and presence.
“As the painting evolved, I decided to use oil on abraded aluminium and opted for an abstract background to avoid placing Sachin in a specific time or place,” Wright said. “This allows the viewer to focus purely on his features, on what he represents.
Tendulkar’s career spanned 24 years from 1989 to 2013. He scored an astonishing 34,357 international runs—more than 6,000 ahead of the next best, Kumar Sangakkara—and remains a towering figure in world cricket.
Speaking on the occasion, Tendulkar said: “It’s a huge honour. In 1983, when India won the World Cup, it was my first introduction to Lord’s. I saw our captain, Kapil Dev, lift the trophy. That moment sparked my cricketing journey. Today, with my portrait going up inside the Pavilion, life feels like it’s come full circle.”
The portrait will remain in the MCC Museum until later this year before being moved permanently to the historic Pavilion. The Lord’s Portrait Programme has been in place for three decades, but MCC’s art collection dates back to the Victorian era. The Club currently houses around 3,000 artworks, nearly 300 of which are portraits.
Charlotte Goodhew, MCC Collections and Programmes Manager, said: “We are proud to add a legend like Sachin Tendulkar to our portrait collection. Unveiling it during the England–India Test has given fans the perfect moment to witness this tribute up close.”
