Sachin Tendulkar honoured with portrait at MCC Museum at Lord’s
A new portrait of Indian cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar was unveiled in the MCC Museum at Lord’s on the opening day of the England v India Men’s Rothesay Test match.
Painted by acclaimed artist Stuart Pearson Wright, the larger-than-life head-and-shoulders portrait will be displayed in the museum until the end of the 2025 season, after which it will move permanently to the prestigious Pavilion at Lord’s.
A career of historic achievement
Tendulkar is widely regarded as one of the greatest batters in cricket history. Over a 24-year international career (1989–2013), he amassed a staggering 34,357 international runs across Tests, ODIs, and a single T20I. This total surpasses the next highest run-scorer, Kumar Sangakkara, by more than 6,000 runs.
A fresh artistic approach
The portrait was based on a photograph taken 18 years ago at Tendulkar’s home in Mumbai. Wright shifted his approach as the work evolved, ultimately using oil on abraded aluminium and incorporating an abstract background meant to represent Tendulkar’s timeless appeal beyond era or geography.
“It’s a huge honour,” Tendulkar said. “1983 when India won the World Cup was my first introduction to Lord’s. My cricket journey began there. Today, to have my portrait go inside the Pavilion – it has been some journey and it feels special for sure.”
Part of a rich collection
This marks the fifth Indian portrait in MCC’s collection and the fourth of those painted by Pearson Wright, following works of Kapil Dev, Bishan Bedi, and Dilip Vengsarkar. Unlike previous full-length compositions, Tendulkar’s portrait focuses closely on his features, conveying a sense of power and gravitas.
“MCC didn’t want this to follow the same format as past portraits,” said Pearson Wright. “So I opted for a close-up scale and abstract background to avoid any fixed context and to emphasize Sachin’s presence.”
Legacy at Lord’s
The Lord’s Portrait Programme has been active for over 20 years, but MCC has collected artworks and memorabilia since the Victorian era. The MCC Museum, established in the 1950s, is the oldest sporting museum in Europe and the second oldest in the world, now housing nearly 300 portraits among 3,000 total works.
“We are proud to add such a transcendental figure as Sachin Tendulkar to our portrait collection,” said Charlotte Goodhew, MCC Collections and Programmes Manager. “It is fitting to unveil this during an India Test match, giving fans a chance to see the painting up close.”
