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Being an Australian of Indian origin, this Sunday was special for me. Call it double delight. Firstly, Australia convincingly winning the Perth Test to level the Ashes series, and then Sachin Tendulkar playing the innings of his life in the second innings of the Centurion Test trying to save India from humiliation against rampaging South Africans.
Imagine, trailing by a daunting 484 runs on first innings, India was at one stage 6-277, still 207 runs behind. But a batting maestro named Sachin Tendulkar and skipper MS Dhoni added 172 precious runs for the 7th wicket.
As I type this India is almost certain to lose, but what a gallant fight back by India.
My hats off to Sachin on his 50th Test century, the only cricketer to do so.
Now to his firsts and onlys in international arena:
In Test cricket
• Hit more than 40 Test centuries (50 in 175 Tests), next best is Australia’s Ricky Ponting (39 in 151).
• Reached 13,000 and 14,000 runs (he has scored 14,509 runs at an average of 56.90 as at 19-12-2010). Next best is Ponting, 12,333 runs at 53.85).
In one-day internationals (ODIs) including 50-overs World Cups
• Hit a double century (200 not out against South Africa at Gwalior on 24 February 2010) in the 40 year history of ODIs.
• Hit more than 40 centuries (46 in 442 ODIs), next best Ponting 29 in 352) and Jayasuriya (28 in 444).
• Recorded nine ODI centuries against Australia, the highest number of centuries for any player against one country.
• Made more than 90 fifties (93). Next best Ponting (79).
• Reached 14000, 15000, 16000 and 17000 runs (currently he has amassed 17598 runs at 45.12 in 442 matches). The next best is Sri Lanka’s Sanath Jayasuriya, 13,428 runs at 32.43 in 444 matches and Ponting 13,082 at 42.75 in 352.
• Registered 1700 runs in 50-overs World Cups (1796 at 57.93 in 36 matches). The next best is Ponting (1537 at 48.03 in 39).
In Tests and ODIs
• Recorded more than 90 centuries (96 in 617 internationals). Next best are Ponting 68 in 489 internationals and Lara 53 in 430.
• Amassed 30,000 runs (32,107). Next best are Ponting way behind with 25,415 and Lara 22,358.
Thus the Indian Little Master is a whopping 6692 runs and 28 centuries ahead of the next most prolific batsman, Ponting, in international cricket (Tests and ODIs including 50-overs World Cups).
Sublime as a batsman and a likeable human being, Sachin deserves all the accolades he receives.
To quote his former captain and spinner, Anil Kumble, from CricInfo: “Sachin’s greatness as a batsman is more than about how many runs he scores. His greatness is in how quickly he adjusts to conditions, wickets, bowling and his understanding in what he needs to do to score those runs.”