Century No 21
169 vs South Africa at Newlands, Cape Town on Jan 4, 1997
The Proteas posted 529. India batted poorly with Sachin Tendulkar posting a score of 126 with the help of Azharuddin who scored 115. India were all out for 359. South Africa in its second innings posted a total of 256 which left Team India to score 427. India were all out for 144 and South Africa won the match.
Score: 169
Series: India in South Africa 1997, 2nd Test
Match: India Vs South Africa
Venue: Newlands, Cape Town
Result: South Africa won by 282 runs
The visitors were shot out for 100 and 66 in the first Test at Kingsmead, Durban, and a repeat looked well on cards. This until Azhar joined Sachin Tendulkar at the crease. Both the batsmen took on the bowlers and turned the firing the other way. While Azhar played at his carefree best, Sachin was more compact but no less grand.
Century No 22
104 vs Zimbabwe at Benoni on Feb 9, 1997
Zimbabwe were smelling victory but Sachin’s hard-fought 104 ensured India did not lose further ground and went on to record one of the famous run chases in South Africa.
Score: 104
Series: Standard Bank International ODI Series – 9th match
Match: India Vs Zimbabwe
Venue: Willowmoore Park, Benoni
Result: India won by 6 wickets
India needed to beat Zimbabwe convincingly and edge past them into the final on the basis of a superior run-rate. With the task cut-out Sachin came out all guns blazing and hammered the Zimbabwe attack.
Century No 23
117 vs New Zealand at Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bangalore, on May 14, 1997
India chased down a modest target of 220 thanks to Sachin’s 117. The Kiwis were earlier bundled out quite easily and Sachin made sure his Man of the Match performance helped India win the game.
Score: 117
Series: Pepsi Independence Cup – 3rd ODI
Match: India Vs New Zealand
Venue: M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bangalore
Result: India won by 8 wickets
Tendulkar shook off the blues from a bad tour of South Africa with style against New Zealand in the Independence Cup. He tore into pacer Heath Davis and finished up smacking 117 runs in 137 balls.
Century No 24
143 vs Sri Lanka at Premadasa Stadium, Colombo, on Aug 3, 1997
India were sent out to bat and managed to post a huge total of 537 thanks to the heroics of Sidhu’s 111, Azhar’s 126 and Sachin’s 143. Sri Lanka replied to India’s 537 by scoring a massive 952 thanks to Sanath Jayasuriya’s 340, Roshan Mahanama’s 225 and Aravina De Silva’s 126. The match ended in a draw with neither of the two teams batting in the second innings.
Score: 143
Series: India in Sri Lanka 1997, 1st Test
Match: Sri Lanka Vs India
Venue: R Premadasa Stadium, Colombo
Result: Match drawn
On yet another flat deck in Colombo, Tendulkar helped himself to yet another Test hundred. India piled on 537 and Sri Lanka replied with 952 runs. The scores ensured that the Test’s fate ended in a draw.
Century No 25
139 vs Sri Lanka at SSC, Colombo, on Aug 11, 1997
Sri Lanka started off with scoring 332 in their first innings. The Indians gave a strong reply with the help of Sourav Ganguly’s 147 and Sachin’s 139. The Sri Lankans, in their second innings, scored a massive 415 runs leaving a target of 373 to win. India reached 281 and the match was drawn.
Score: 139
Series: India in Sri Lanka 1997, 1st Test
Match: Sri Lanka Vs India
Venue: Sinhalese Sports Club Ground, Colombo
Result: Match drawn
A second successive ton from Sachin and a second successive draw in the series. Sri Lankan wickets played excellent hosts for Indian batsmen and like most of the cricketers, Tendulkar made the most.
Century No 26
148 vs Sri Lanka at Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai on Dec 4, 1997
India were put to bat in the first innings of the match and the trio of Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly and Rahul Dravid helped India post a total of 512. Rahul Dravid made 93, Sourav Ganguly scored 173, followed by Sachin’s 148. Sri Lanka in its first innings made 361. India came out to bat in its second innings and were bowled out for 181. With a target of 333 to win, Sri Lanka only managed to make a 166 runs. The match was drawn.
Score: 148
Series: Sri Lanka in India 1997, 3rd Test
Match: India Vs Sri Lanka
Venue: Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai
Result: Match drawn
Tendulkar’s ‘batathon’ continued against Sri Lanka when they had a return tour to India later in the year. The other batsman to shine alongside Tendulkar was Ganguly who scored 173 runs.
Century No 27
155 not out vs Australia at Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai, on Mar 9, 1998
In the first Test against Australia, India batted in the first innings and were bowled out for 257. Australia did much better by posting 328 in the first innings. India in its second innings posted a mammoth 418 with the heroics of Sachin Tendulkar who top scored with 155. India then went on to bowl out the Aussies for a paltry sum of 168 winning the match by 179 runs.
Score: 155*
Series: Australia in India 1998, 1st Test
Match: India Vs Australia
Venue: MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chepauk, Chennai
Result: India won by 179 runs
It was billed as a contest between Shane Warne and Sachin Tendulkar. The Australian leg spinner dismissed Sachin cheaply in the first innings, but in the second the Indian maestro made amends and took the spinner and Australian bowling apart. This Test match saw Sachin deflating Warne by hitting cross-bat shots to balls delivered outside the leg stump.
Century No 28
177 vs Australia at Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bangalore on March 26, 1998
India in its first innings posted a good total of 424 with the help of NS Sidhu and Sachin Tendulkar who scored 177 from 298 balls which included 29 fours and 3 sixes. This was done against the spin great Shane Warne. Australia replied to India’s first innings total by reaching 400. Unfortunately India’s batting collapsed as they managed to put up 169 in the second innings. Australia needed 195 runs to win, and without the loss of too many wickets won the Test match.
Score: 177
Series: Australia in India 1998, 3rd Test
Match: India Vs Australia
Venue: M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bangalore
Result: Australia won by 8 wickets
Australia continued to suffer at the hands of Sachin Tendulkar who served another masterclass at Bangalore. His second hundred in the series ensured that he scored well above 400-plus runs in the three Test matches.
Century No 29
100 vs Australia at Green Park, Kanpur, on April 7, 1998
The mighty Australians were looking all set for another victory but a disciplined Indian bowling with the help of Sachin’s opening stand with Ganguly helped India win with ease.
Score: 100
Series: Pepsi Triangular Series – 4th ODI, 1998
Match: India Vs Australia
Venue: Green Park, Kanpur
Result: India won by 6 wickets
Sachin’s stronghold over Australia spilled into the ODI series that came after the Test matches. At Green Park, Tendulkar hammered his 13th one-day hundred.
Century No 30
143 vs Australia at Sharjah on April 22, 1998
Australia was hit all over the park by the Little Master to guide India into the finals of the triangular series. The Aussie bowlers had a torrid time against Sachin who scored 143 even though India lost the game.
Score: 143
Series: Coca-Cola Cup – 6th ODI, 1998
Match: India Vs Australia
Venue: Sharjah Cricket Association Stadium
Result: Australia won by 26 runs
A classic knock from Tendulkar. One which is most revered by his fans. India needed to win big to edge past New Zealand into the final of the competition. Tendulkar went on a rampage, and despite a dust storm interruption, ensured that India walked into the finals to face Australia once again.
Next post
