Century No 71
248 not out vs Bangladesh in Dhaka, on Dec 12, 2004
India won the toss and put Bangladesh in to bat. They were bowled out for 184. India in their first innings reached a total of 526 riding on Sachin’s 248 runs. He helped steady the innings after the top three batsmen collapsed for a total of 48 runs. Bangladesh in their second innings were bowled out for 202. India won this match by an innings and 140 runs.
Score: 248*
Series: Bilateral test series, 2004
Match: India V Bangladesh, 1st test
Venue: Dhaka
Result: India won by an innings and 140 runs
After a great tour down under exactly a year ago, India was increasingly establishing itself as world beaters not just at home but even on overseas surfaces. Bangladesh was always going to be easy meat for the red-hot Indian team. Expectedly, the series began in a one-sided manner. Bangladesh was bundled out for just 184 and Indian then piled on the misery with very good batting display. Sachin smashed an unbeaten 248 as the team scored 526 and pushed the local boys to the corner. Bangladesh was bundled out for just 202 in its second essay. Sachin’s 248 came from nearly 10 hours and had 35 classy hits to the fence.
Century No 72
123 vs Pakistan at Ahmedabad on Apr 12, 2005
India hosted rivals Pakistan in an important game which saw the Little Master score yet another century as his 123 helped India to a respectable score. But Pakistan won the game convincingly.
Score: 123
Series: Bilateral ODI series, 2005
Match: India V Pakistan, 4th ODI
Venue: Ahmedabad
Result: Pakistan won by 3 wickets
The series was well poised after India won the first match at Vizag and Pakistan responded with a win at Jamshedpur. India won the toss and batted first. Sachin blasted 123 off 130 balls as India raced to 315, which on most surfaces is a match-winning one. Pakistan had other ideas though with almost everyone at the top of the order contributing their bit. It was a close contest but the men from across the border emerged triumphant.
Century No 73
109 vs Sri Lanka at Feroz Shah Kotla, New Delhi, on Dec 22, 2005
India opened the innings and managed a total of 290. Most of the batting collapsed apart from Sachin who was the only player to score a century. Sri Lanka in their second innings were bowled out for 230. India in its second innings made 375 leaving the vistors a target of 436 to win. They were bowled out for 247 and India won the match by 188 runs.
Score: 109
Series: Bilateral test series, 2005
Match: India V Sri Lanka, 2nd test
Venue: Delhi
Result: India won by 188 runs
Sachin was the lone centurion in the test, which was in the balance for long periods before India marched ahead in the late stages. India depended on Sachin’s patient 109 (took 5 hours) to muster 290 in their first essay. Sri Lanka failed to capitalise on a good start to their chase and collapsed from 175 for 2 to just 230 all out. That turned the match on its head and India finished as the winning side.
Century No 74
100 vs Pakistan at Peshawar, on February 6, 2006
In a crunch game between India and Pakistan, Sachin again stepped up to the occasion as his 100 guided them past 300. India tried to make inroads but Pakistan came back strongly and won the game.
Score: 100
Series: Bilateral ODI series, 2006
Match: India V Pakistan, 1st ODI
Venue: Peshawar
Result: Pakistan won via D/L method
After the roaring success of the 2004 tour of Pakistan, the 2006 one was rather difficult for the Indian team. They struggled in the test series but it was a different story in the shorter format. Sachin got a century in the first ODI but India failed to defend 305 from 47 overs. But, the team went on to win the remaining four ODIs in the series to wrap it up 4-1.
Century No 75
141 not out vs West Indies at Kuala Lumpur on Sept 14, 2006
India took on the West Indies as Sachin’s 141 not out was crucial to take India in a winning position. India though lost the game as rains interrupted and the West Indies won on Duckworth/Lewis method.
Score: 141*
Series: Tri-series in Kuala Lumpur featuring India, Australia and West Indies
Match: India V West Indies, 2nd match of the tournament
Venue: Kuala Lumpur
Result: West Indies won via D/L method
It was one of those occasions when Sachin carried the bat through the 50 overs of an ODI inning. He made 141 from 148 balls with 13 fours and 5 towering 6s on a smallish Kinrara Academy Oval ground. Fidel Edwards and Dwayne Bravo were punished severely by the little master. West Indies began their response in style with Chris Gaye smashing 45 off 35 balls. When the weather Gods intervened, the Windies were comfortably ahead on Duckworth Lewis method.
Century No 76
100 not out vs West Indies at Vadodra, on Jan 31, 2007
Tendulkar was once again the backbone of India’s victory as his crucial knock of 100 not out was enough to see off the West Indies. Sachin was also awarded the Man of the Match and the Series for his important innings.
Score: 100*
Series: Bilateral ODI series, 2007
Match: India V West Indies, 4th ODI
Venue: Vadodara
Result: India won by 160 runs
Prior to this game, it was a closely contested ODI series with India winning the first two matches by 14 and 20 runs respectively while the Windies won the 3rd ODI by 3 wickets. It all changed though at Vadodara. India hammered the Windies bowling attack to make a commanding 341 in 50 overs with Sachin becoming the lone centurion scoring exactly a hundred. The Caribbeans were never really in the hunt and eventually folded up for 181 in the 42nd over.
Century No 77
101 vs Bangladesh in Chittagong on May 19, 2007
India chose to bat and the middle-order put up a decent batting display with Sachin scoring 101 and Ganguly 100. They managed a total of 387 and it was Sachin’s and Sourav’s innings which helped the team reach the total. Bangladesh were put to bat and were bowled out for 238. India in its second innings declared at 100, leaving the hosts with a target of 250 runs to win. Bangladesh scored 104 until play ended on the fifth day. The match was drawn.
Score: 101
Series: Bilateral test series, 2007
Match: India V Bangladesh, 1st test
Venue: Chittagong
Result: Match drawn
It was a rain-hit test match where India called the shots for long periods but lack of time made a result impossible. India batted first and made 387 with centuries from Sachin and Ganguly. Sachin’s inning was a painstaking effort lasting nearly 5 hours. It was very unlike Sachin but who cares. It is the end number that matters in cricket.
Century No 78
122 not out vs Bangladesh in Mirpur on May 26, 2007
Bangladesh won the toss and chose to field. When India came into bat, no one from the Bangladesh team would have expected four players to get 100s. Dinesh Karthik made 129, Wasim Jaffer made 138, Rahul Dravid 129 and Sachin was the last centurion in the innings, making 122. India managed a total of 610 in the first innings. Bangladesh came into bat and were dismissed for a measly 118. In their second innings they only managed 253. India won the match by an innings and 239 runs.
Score: 122*
Series: Bilateral test series, 2007
Match: India V Bangladesh, 2nd test
Venue: Mirpur
Result: India won by an innings and 239 runs
If weather Gods saved Bangladesh in the first test, the next one at Mirpur exposed the gap between Bangladesh and the rest of test-playing nations. It wasn’t just a defeat. It was an embarrassment for the Bangladeshis. The top four batsmen in the batting order for India all scored centuries and that included Sachin’s unbeaten 122. The combined first and second innings totals of Bangladesh still fell short of follow on par score of 410!
Century No 79
154 not out vs Australia at SCG, on Jan 4, 2008
Australia opened the innings and put up a formidable score of 463. India in reply managed 532. Sachin Tendulkar and VVS Laxman were the main contributors to the innings as most of the batsmen failed to score any runs. Australia in their second innings made 401 before declaring. With a target of 333 to win, India were bowled out for 201.
Score: 154*
Series: Border-Gavaskar Trophy, 2008
Match: India V Australia, 2nd test
Venue: Sydney
Result: Australia won by 122 runs
Sachin’s magnificent 154 came as a like-for-like for Andrew Symonds’ double hundred, which had propelled Australia to 463 in the first innings. The Master Blaster’s knock took India to 532 and a handy first innings lead of 69 runs. Sachin’s 154 came in 7 hours and had 14 fours and 1 six. Then came the remarkable turnaround by the Aussies who amassed 401 in just 107 second innings overs leaving India with a target of 333. The ‘triple nelson’ haunted the Indians as they folded up for 210.
Century No 80
153 vs Australia at Adelaide Oval, on Jan 25, 2008
India were put into bat and managed to rake up a total of 526 runs. A few batsmen managed to get a few half centuries but it was Sachin’s 153 really that helped India heap up the runs. Australia in their first innings managed to score 563, building a small lead. India then in their second innings scored 269 at the end of day 5. The match was drawn.
Score: 153
Series: Border-Gavaskar Trophy, 2008
Match: India V Australia, 4th test
Venue: Adelaide
Result: Match drawn
India had come into the final test at Adelaide Oval after registering one of their greatest test victories ever. On what is perceived as the fastest wicket in the world, India beat Australia at Perth to get themselves a chance of squaring the series at Adelaide. And their mission began on a sound note with Sachin hammering 153 from just 205 balls (Incredibly fast for test cricket) and India reached 526. Australian batsmen though lived up to their billing and ensured they walked away with a draw in the match and win in the series.
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