Sachin Tendulkar called himself an ‘actor’, not a cricketer — here’s how it saved him Rs 58 lakh in taxes

Do you know Indian cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar once proved himself an “actor” to save lakhs in taxes? Over a decade ago, the cricket icon found himself in a legal disagreement with the Income Tax Department regarding the interpretation of a tax rule.

Sujit Bangar, Founder of TaxBuddy.com, shared this interesting case on ‘X’ (formerly Twitter). He wrote, “Sachin Tendulkar wasn’t a ‘cricketer.’ He claimed he was an actor — to save Rs 58 lakh in taxes. The tax officer slapped a demand on him. But here’s how the Master blaster proved himself as an ‘actor,’ not a cricketer, and won the case.”

How the whole case began

This case dates back to when Sachin earned a substantial amount from some overseas endorsements 2001-02 and 2004-05. He advertised for brands like Pepsi, VISA, and ESPN-