The eighty-niners
Twenty-eight players made their international debuts the same years as Sachin Tendulkar. We look at what 20 of the better-known ones went on to do
Sidharth Monga
14-Nov-2009
Same vintage: Jayasuriya is the only other player to have made his international debut as far back as 1989 • AFP
Trevor Hohns
Played his last Test the same year, and retired from first-class cricket two years later. Went on to be Australia's national selector - for 10 years the chairman of the committee - during which time Mark Waugh and Ian Healy were shown the door, and Steve Waugh's ODI captaincy was taken away. Runs a sporting-goods business now.
Played his last Test the same year, and retired from first-class cricket two years later. Went on to be Australia's national selector - for 10 years the chairman of the committee - during which time Mark Waugh and Ian Healy were shown the door, and Steve Waugh's ODI captaincy was taken away. Runs a sporting-goods business now.
Mark Taylor
Retired aged 35, with 104 Tests and 7525 runs to his name. Is a commentator now. Tendulkar had played the same number of Tests by the time he was 29, and scored 8770 runs in them.
Retired aged 35, with 104 Tests and 7525 runs to his name. Is a commentator now. Tendulkar had played the same number of Tests by the time he was 29, and scored 8770 runs in them.
Greg Campbell
Uncle to Ricky Ponting, Tendulkar's only rival left standing, Campbell made his international debut the same year as Tendulkar.
Uncle to Ricky Ponting, Tendulkar's only rival left standing, Campbell made his international debut the same year as Tendulkar.
Angus Fraser
Played three Tests and three ODIs against Tendulkar, getting him out bowled once in a losing cause in an ODI at Trent Bridge. Now gets a chance to watch him bat and write on it and get paid for it by the Independent.
Played three Tests and three ODIs against Tendulkar, getting him out bowled once in a losing cause in an ODI at Trent Bridge. Now gets a chance to watch him bat and write on it and get paid for it by the Independent.
Mike Atherton
Retired having played 115 Tests. Is many things Tendulkar isn't: broadcaster, author, journalist. Wrote one of the better pieces on Tendulkar when the latter overtook Brian Lara as the highest run-getter in the world.
Retired having played 115 Tests. Is many things Tendulkar isn't: broadcaster, author, journalist. Wrote one of the better pieces on Tendulkar when the latter overtook Brian Lara as the highest run-getter in the world.
Devon Malcolm
Last played a Test in 1997 and a first-class match in 2003; has written You Guys Are History, and has also appeared on television show The Weakest Link.
Last played a Test in 1997 and a first-class match in 2003; has written You Guys Are History, and has also appeared on television show The Weakest Link.
Alan Igglesden
Was diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumour in 1999, a year after he retired from first-class cricket. Has survived the tumour through medication, and works as sports master at Sutton Valence school in Kent.
John Stephenson
Played just one Test, but ended his 21-year first-class career in 2006. Is now MCC's head of cricket, and is involved with a futuristic move - the use of the pink ball in cricket.
Salil Ankola
Played one Test and 20 ODIs before moving to greener pastures, such as Bollywood, music videos and TV. Has acted in five films, and one horror show on TV.
Played one Test and 20 ODIs before moving to greener pastures, such as Bollywood, music videos and TV. Has acted in five films, and one horror show on TV.
Waqar Younis
Bloodied Tendulkar on his debut, and had many a duel with him, but retired after the 2003 World Cup. Waqar has been a bowling coach, has now moved to Australia and is a TV commentator.
Vivek Razdan
Something of a prodigy like Tendulkar, Razdan was brought into the Test side based on just two first-class matches. Played only two Tests and three ODIs, retired from first-class cricket in 1993-94, and now commentates on Indian domestic cricket.
Chris Cairns
Regular injuries meant he couldn't play the same volume of cricket as Tendulkar, but his international career did span close to 17 years. Lives in Dubai now, and makes sporadic appearances in promotional or charity matches.
Akram Raza
Played nine Tests and 49 ODIs over a period of six years and was one of six players fined by the PCB after the match-fixing episode.
Played nine Tests and 49 ODIs over a period of six years and was one of six players fined by the PCB after the match-fixing episode.
Dammika Ranatunga
Oldest of the Ranatunga brothers, he quit first-class cricket in 1995-96; Tendulkar was 22 then. Dammika has spent time as chief executive of Sri Lanka Cricket.
Oldest of the Ranatunga brothers, he quit first-class cricket in 1995-96; Tendulkar was 22 then. Dammika has spent time as chief executive of Sri Lanka Cricket.
Saeed Anwar
After quitting all cricket in 2002-03, became a maulvi, and is far removed from life as a cricketer.
After quitting all cricket in 2002-03, became a maulvi, and is far removed from life as a cricketer.
Robin Singh
After a rather gutsy career, worked with Tendulkar as the team's fielding coach. There, too, has been outlasted by Tendulkar: the BCCI recently sacked Robin. The association, though, continues in the Mumbai Indians IPL team.
After a rather gutsy career, worked with Tendulkar as the team's fielding coach. There, too, has been outlasted by Tendulkar: the BCCI recently sacked Robin. The association, though, continues in the Mumbai Indians IPL team.
Mushtaq Ahmed
After Test retirement, spent years as a cult hero with Sussex, then jeopardised his county career by signing up with ICL. Is now England's full-time spin-bowling coach.
After Test retirement, spent years as a cult hero with Sussex, then jeopardised his county career by signing up with ICL. Is now England's full-time spin-bowling coach.
Steve Rhodes
Played only 20 international matches, but his 440-match first-class career ended only in 2003. Is now Worcestershire's director of cricket.
Played only 20 international matches, but his 440-match first-class career ended only in 2003. Is now Worcestershire's director of cricket.
Alec Stewart
Is the seventh most-capped player in Tests. Quit playing in 2003. Is on Surrey's coaching staff now.
Is the seventh most-capped player in Tests. Quit playing in 2003. Is on Surrey's coaching staff now.
Robert Haynes
Had an eight-ODI career, and has finished an eight-year coaching stint with Jamaica. Is one of West Indies' current selectors.
Had an eight-ODI career, and has finished an eight-year coaching stint with Jamaica. Is one of West Indies' current selectors.
Nasser Hussain
The man responsible for the left-arm over-the-wicket theory that worked temporarily against Tendulkar. Has been retired for five years now, and is a respected broadcaster and writer.
The man responsible for the left-arm over-the-wicket theory that worked temporarily against Tendulkar. Has been retired for five years now, and is a respected broadcaster and writer.
Sanath Jayasuriya
Tendulkar's lone co-survivor from 1989 - but he started out in Tests only in 1991, and gave them up in 2007 to prolong his limited-overs career. Is Tendulkar's team-mate at Mumbai Indians, and the oldest centurion in ODI cricket.
Tendulkar's lone co-survivor from 1989 - but he started out in Tests only in 1991, and gave them up in 2007 to prolong his limited-overs career. Is Tendulkar's team-mate at Mumbai Indians, and the oldest centurion in ODI cricket.
Sidharth Monga is a staff writer at Cricinfo