London: Cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar was honoured at Lord’s on Thursday with the unveiling of his portrait at the MCC Museum, ahead of the third Test between India and England.
The artwork, created by acclaimed British portraitist Stuart Pearson Wright, depicts a larger-than-life image of Tendulkar’s head and shoulders—marking a distinct shift from the full-length portraits of previous Indian cricket icons.
Based on a photograph taken by Wright nearly 18 years ago, the painting features an abstract background meant to symbolise Tendulkar’s timeless appeal and universal cricketing legacy.
The portrait will remain on display at the MCC Museum until later this year before being moved to the iconic Pavilion at Lord’s.
Reflecting on the honour, 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, and that moment sparked my cricketing journey. Today, with my portrait going up inside the Pavilion, it feels like it’s come full circle.”
Wright, whose previous subjects include Kapil Dev, Bishan Singh Bedi, and Dilip Vengsarkar, said he deliberately departed from earlier styles for this portrait.
“MCC didn’t want a traditional format like my previous works, so I adopted a new approach. I used a heroic scale and focused on Sachin’s features, avoiding detailed settings to maintain the focus entirely on him.”
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The Lord’s Portrait Programme, which has been active in its current form for 30 years, is part of the MCC’s longstanding tradition of preserving cricketing heritage.
With nearly 3,000 artworks, including around 300 portraits, the MCC Museum is the oldest sporting museum in Europe, having opened in the 1950s.
Its famed Long Room Gallery remains one of the most iconic venues in the world of sport.
