When it comes to breaking records, then no one can replace Indian batting maestro Sachin Tendulkar. No matter how much one has witnessed the Little Master bat for 25 long years, one still expects more from this man for sure. So much has changed in the world since 1988-89 when this legendary Mumbaikar made his India debut. He has perhaps been the lone consistent, getting along with the usual unbridled pleasure and passion.
If critics have written him off after the England Test series, then he rose again like sphinx to score an elegant ton. No one else other than Tendulkar can do that. It is a wonder that how he carries on himself with so much of dignity and discipline. For a man of his stature, competing with youngsters will still make others feel envy for sure.
Perhaps, there is something bigger going on his mind. This ton is seen as a preparation rather than a motivation before the start of home series against the mighty Australians from February 22 onwards. The Kangaroos will be hoping to be on the prowl after losing the home Test series against South Africa. The services of VVS Laxman will be sorely missed against the Oz team for the first team after almost two decades. Definitely, this is a transitional phase for the Indian cricket team as perfectly mentioned by dashing opener Virender Sehwag.
Tendulkar, now already entered into his 25th season, achieved two milestones, first equalling Sunil Gavaskar’s record for the most first-class centuries (81). Tendulkar, though, has done it in fewer matches – 303 compared to Gavaskar’s 348.
When he achieved the feat another was in store when he reached from 100 to 104 with his trademark straight drive for four off S Sreesanth, he reached 25,000 runs in first-class cricket.
Although the ardent cricket fans watching the game stayed away for the first two days, they arrived in large numbers on Friday, hoping that Tendulkar would do something special.
And didn’t he give them something to cheer about!
Along the way, he showed the younger generation the importance of a wicket. “We have to learn from Tendulkar,” Ajinkya Rahane, who shared a 73-run stand with Tendulkar for the fourth wicket, said.
Tendulkar, who carried on his with 140, batted for five hours and 43 minutes and faced 197 balls. Not until the 185th delivery did he play a false stroke — an attempted drive off Ishwar Pandey that took the edge and raced to the vacant third man fence.
Though, at first, invited to play an upper-cut off Sreesanth, ‘The Little Master’ cut down risks, just punishing the loose deliveries.
He was at ease facing both pacers and spinners, having a perfect liking to Pragyan Ojha, against whom he had a strike rate in excess of 100. Who knows how the innings would have turned out to be had he not got short of partners?
Tendulkar must be satisfied with the performance on an overall before taking on the Australian bowlers this time around.
