The 300-page Tendulkar — The Irreverent Unauthorised Biography, edited by Mudar Patherya for the Mumbai Indians is a rare collection of quotes and anecdotes on the little big man of Indian cricket, Sachin Tendulkar. As the curtains fall on 24 years of Tendulkar, t2 flips through the book to get you 24 interesting facts about the man many call god.

1I was the first bowler he faced in his life. — Laxmibai Ghije, the Tendulkar domestic help

2“Achrekar sir’s assistant ran around the ground trying to attract our attention so that he could tell us to declare. Sachin kept telling me not to look at him. We even started singing.”

— Vinod Kambli, on the record 664-run partnership in the Harris Shield semi-final against St. Xavier’s, 1988

3“If we had to get 300 to win, we would deliberately score only 280 that day leaving us with some runs to get in two or three overs the next morning. Because after we had won we would go see a movie or to the beach.” — Sachin, on his strategy as a schoolboy cricketer

4 “I’d like to see him go out one day and bat with a stump. I tell you, he’d do OK.”

— Greg Chappell

5 “Hundred per cent commitment is not too much to expect, is it?” — Sachin

6 Date with Dire Straits. — When Sachin met singer Mark Knopfler, he told the rocker that Sultans of Swing was one of his favourites. Knopfler responded by presenting Tendulkar with a guitar and Tendulkar reciprocated with a signed bat

7 “Impossible?” — Sachin, when asked if there was anything that he considered impossible

8 “The country breathes every time he goes out to play and when he is out, the country stops breathing.”

— Amitabh Bachchan

9 Mac — Sachin’s nickname after John McEnroe when he was eight years old. He grew his hair long like the tennis star and got his father to buy him similar headbands and sweatbands

10 “Watch the ball. Watch the ball.” — Sachin to himself while batting

11Smack them all! — What scrawled on the thigh pad he gifted Harbhajan Singh

12 “…I can make a very nice prawn curry and fish.” — Sachin

13 “He eats for three.” — Sanjay Narang, Mumbai restaurateur and Tendulkar’s partner

14 “When I came to bat we needed 69 runs in five overs. I hit Mustaq Ahmed for a couple of sixes. Qadir came up to me and said: “Bacchon ko kyon mar rahe ho? Hamein bhi maarke dikhao.” I gave it a go. Ultimately we fell short by only four runs.”

— Sachin

15 A picture of Ganapati, the Indian flag, a good luck message from his kids. — The three things that Sachin always carries in his kit bag.

16His father. — The person who signed Sachin’s contract with the BCCI when he was selected to play for India against Pakistan. Sachin, 16, was still a minor!

17 “I have to get out when he’s bowling, and I also have to bowl the odd loose ball so that he can hit me for boundaries.” — Sachin on practising with son Arjun

18 “I cried so much when I was out, I could not see. The entire team consoled me.”

— Sachin after falling short of his first Test century at 88… against New Zealand at Napier in 1990.

197am-9am: practice; 9.30am-4.30pm: match; 5.30pm-7pm: practice. — Sachin’s schedule as a 12-year old. “Once I played 54 matches in a row!” he said.

20 Sits in the dressing room. Sets up his mind’s camera. Sees the bowlers running in to bowl. Sees the ball hit his bat. Sees the ball disappear. Hears the crowd’s applause. Settles down for the next delivery. Repeats for 10 minutes. — Sachin’s mental ‘nets’ before he goes out to bat

21Chinese Okra, Oriental Prawns, Fried Bombay Duck, Smoked Salmon, Sharkfin Crab Meat Soup, Mulligatawny Soup with Chicken, Tom Ka Gai Soup, Phad Thai Noodles, Lobster Thermidor, Schezwan Eggplant, Indonesian Chicken, Jamaican Lamb Curry, Goan Prawns Curry, Bhindi Masala, Baingan Bharta, Haagen Dazs ice cream. Tiramisu and Cheesecake.

— Sachin’s favourites

22 Neil Diamond. Eagles. Pink Floyd. Eric Clapton. Mark Knopfler. Diamond. UB40. Bob Marley. Santana. Gypsy King. Kishore Kumar. Robbie Williams. — Sachin’s favourites

23“Just hit the ball!” — Sachin’s advice to son Arjun

24 “Somebody who was a good trier for the country and did a decent job for the country.”

— Sachin, on how he would like to be remembered