India can make big breakthroughs on tour

India’s 10th tour to Australia has the potential to be one of the most memorable in history for the cricket-obsessed nation.

But with so much on the line, there’s also plenty to lose for India as they begin their fight to regain the No.1 Test ranking.

Sachin Tendulkar is already an undisputed giant of the game, but he can enhance his legend even further by notching one more three-figure score to reach 100 hundreds in his international career.

Although Tendulkar is almost bigger than the sport itself in India, the national team is aiming for something with further reaching consequences this four-Test campaign – their first-ever series win in Australia.

Tendulkar is the side story, and he’ll be willed on to that elusive ton by Indian and Australian fans alike.

But even if the 38-year-old does prove beyond doubt that he’s the best batsman since Sir Donald Bradman, the tour will be a failure for India if they have to wait another three years for another chance to finally beat Australia on their own patch.

India’s come close on four occasions – including drawn series in 1980-81 and 2003-04.

On their last visit they were agonisingly close in the four-Test series, but went down 2-1 with a draw in the final match in Adelaide.

As long as Australia remains unconquered, India will be incomplete as a Test nation.

They may never get a better opportunity to break the shackles than this year with Australia on the ropes and some of the all-time greats in their line-up surely on their last tours down under.

Rahul Dravid (38), VVS Laxman (37), Zaheer Khan (33) and Tendulkar will be desperate to achieve the feat before they hang up the gloves on their spectacular careers.

For Tendulkar, the stage is set for him to put a couple of brilliant last touches to his 22-year career which runs-wise is unparalleled by anyone else in history.

The 15,000 man fell six runs short of notching his century of centuries last Test against the West Indies in his hometown of Mumbai.

That would been perfect, but given his dominance over Australia and success at venues like the SCG, bringing up the milestone on our shores would be a special moment.

“I think it would be a great place to do it, but the only thing I will say is me and my team-mates, all of us and all the Indians, we don’t want him to wait for too long now,” said Rohit Sharma, one of the young Indian squad players who grew up idolising Tendulkar.

“It’s been a while, but I hope he gets the 100th century in the first game.”

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