Actor, Not Cricketer: How Sachin Tendulkar Once Saved Rs 58 Lakh In Income Tax
Legendary cricketer Sachin Tendulkar once told tax officials that he was not a cricketer but an actor - a move that ended up saving him Rs 58 lakhs in taxes.
Legendary cricketer Sachin Tendulkar once told tax officials that he was not a cricketer but an actor - a move that ended up saving him Rs 58 lakhs in taxes. According to Sujit Bangar of Taxbuddy, back in FY2002-03, Sachin earned around Rs 5.92 crore in forex from foreign commercials from ESPN, Pepsi and VISA. However, instead of treating it as 'cricket income', Sachin decided to claim a 30 per cent deduction (Rs 1.77 crore) under Section 80RR - a tax benefit meant for actors, writers, and artists earning abroad. However, the move did not go down well with the Income Tax Assessment Officer.
Sachin Tendulkar wasn't a “cricketer.”
— Sujit Bangar (@sujit_bangar) October 26, 2025
He claimed he was an actor—to save ₹ 58 lakhs in taxes
Tax officer slapped a demand and penalty on him.
But here's how Master blaster proved himself as an “Actor” and not a cricketer and won the casepic.twitter.com/yaKhUfpmmd
Sachin received a notice that stated - "You're a cricketer; endorsements are incidental. Treat it under Other Sources; no 80RR." However, Sachin did not give up.
“I performed modelling/acting. That's an actor's profession; 80RR applies to it,” he replied.
The Income Tax Appellate Tribunal (ITAT) agreed with Sachin's explanation and allowed the Section 80RR claim. The tribunal said that "acting" is not only limited to Bollywood and it also includes - any creative performance involving skill, imagination, and artistry.
As a result, Sachin appearing in advertisements for the companies counted as "acting".
Sachin got the full deducation of Rs 1.77 crore and that decreased his taxes by Rs 58 lakhs.
Sachin Tendulkar