Most Memorable Centuries of Sachin Tendulkar

Sachin has made enough records and milestones in the cricket that he hardly left anything to achieve, form the total score of 17000 runs in one day international cricket and 15000 runs in test matches all looks like unbeatable. Here are the most memorable centuries.

India vs Bangladesh, ODI 2012

After 33 innings and over a year, Tendulkar finally got to the elusive ton against Bangladesh in an Asia Cup league match at a packed Sher-e-Bangla stadium in Mirpur. It took him 138 deliveries, one of the most arduous one-day efforts by the 38-year-old right-hander, to get to the 100 that had become as much a talking point as the team's fortunes in the past 365 days.

India vs South Africa, ODI-2010

Sachin scored the first double century in one day international cricket which made the history. He scored 200 (not out) in 147 balls with 25 boundaries and three sixes against South Africa on February 24, 2010 in Gwalior. India won this match by 153 runs.

India vs England, Test Match-2008

This match is one among the memorable movements which happened just after two weeks of Mumbai terrorist attack on hotel Taj. Sachin scored 103 (not out) chasing the highest run of 387 and also the first time were Sachin scored a century in a successful fourth-innings chase.

India vs Australia, Test Match-1998

This test match was one of the remarkable one where India trailed by 71 runs in the first innings and Sachin’s brilliant unbeaten 155 runs to set Australia a target of 348 runs and India won the match by 179 runs. In this match Tendulkar scored 155 not out, with 14 boundaries and four sixes.

England v India, Test match-1990

This test match is the first step for Sachin’s milestone. He scored his first test century against England in August 1990. Sachin was just 17 year old, struggled batting when India was at 109/4 after being set 408 runs to win. He challenged the England holding wickets for almost six hours and derived the team to a draw.

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2012 will see Tendulkar’s 100th century

As 2011 winds down to a close tomorrow, let me go over some of the major happenings this year.

India’s World Cup Win
Teams have up and down years, but whatever happened during the rest of the year, winning the World Cup is forever. After more than a generation, India lifted the World Cup again! Sweet memories for those who had seen the 1983 win and a first-time glorious moment for those who had not. It was a fitting tribute to Sachin Tendulkar in his last World Cup. For those who doubted India could do it (that includes me), Dhoni’s India peaked at the right time after wobbles against England and South Africa. After India’s campaign, the best memories of the World Cup were Ireland’s incredible win against England and the guaranteed (but maybe won’t happen this time) South African choke.
England as No. 1 Test Team
England have always been underrated as a cricket team because of their abysmal ODI form, but I never imagined that they would reach the No. 1 Test ranking after beating both Australia (3-1) and India (4-0) to a pulp. I am now amazed that Sri Lanka only lost 0-1 in a 3-Test series and that after a freak third innings collapse.
The Rise and Fall of Mahendra Singh Dhoni
Around the mid-point of this year, Dhoni was on top of the world. Under him, India had won the T20 World Cup, the ODI World Cup (with Dhoni hitting the winning six) and the #1 Test Team ranking. He captained his IPL team Chennai Super Kings to two IPL championships and the Champions League Trophy. Then hiccups as India failed to win two Test matches in West Indies that they could have and should have won. And a full-blown disaster as India got wiped out in England, failing to win a single match and losing their Test top spot. Then CSK crashed out early in the 2011 Champions League. After gaining back some ground with a trashing of England in home ODIs and an almost whitewash of the West Indies, things seem to have slid back with a defeat to Australia in the final Test of the year. Dhoni seems human, after all.
Pakistan’s Incredible Year
Q at WellPitched can explain this much better than I do.
Bangladesh’s Terrible Year
Name the only team (including Zimbabwe) to have not won a single Test this year. There is no excuse for Bangladesh having Test status when teams like Ireland are out. All bravado and no result, despite having a few talented players.
Zimbabwe’s Return
Won their first Test on return. Made New Zealand sweat for a win. Zimbabwe is a country with a deep cricket tradition. And these are good signs for the long-term.
South Africa Throwing Series Leads
South Africa continues to throw away series leads after owning the opposition (India, Australia and Sri Lanka). Seriously, how do you look at yourself in the mirror after losing to the opposition one Test after bowling them out for 47 or winning by an innings? South Africa reminds me of the navigator in the boat race asking his team members to slow down because he never thought they would be in front and so hadn’t studied the map.
Miscellaneous
Yes, please don’t say Test cricket is still alive. We get it: You love Test cricket like cats love fish or something like that. On the other hand, I cannot remember many ODIs (other than those in the World Cup) or T20s. Some of the Test matches were suspiciously good. And by that, I mean only three players went to jail.
Rahul Dravid - The Wall of Indian Cricket Team  was at his best again.

Lets pray for Sachin to break new records in 2012. He is nation`s pride.

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Can Formula One Overtake Cricket As No.1 Sports Passion in India?

Sachin Tendulkar had a unique experience and for one, it had not having to do with breaking his own cricket records. Instead his presence at the first ever Indian Formula 1 Grand Prix was almost as important as the race itself.

Michael Schumacher, Sachin Tendulkar

The Buddh International Circuit saw F1 boss, Bernie Ecclestone, personally invite Indian batting’s colossus genius, Sachin Tendulkar, for the inaugural event and Tendulkar had the honour of waving the chequered flag as Red Bull’s double champion racing driver, Sebastien Vettel, was the first to cross the finish line for a record eleventh time in the year to match Michael Schumacher.

Tendulkar has been missing in action on the cricket field and was not seen during the England team’s visit to India for the ODI series with a toe injury. However, he turned up at the Noida venue with his wife, Anjali Tendulkar, and daughter Sara Tendulkar for the prestigious event in a major international motorsport event for India.

Sachin Tendulkar also observed a minute of silence along with the F1 drivers by way of condolence for the tragic deaths of Dan Wheldon and Marco Simoncelli who lost their lives in two separate motorsport accident at the Indy car racing and Moto GP respectively, once again highlighting the perils of high speed racing.

This though is not Tendulkar’s first brush with Formula One, having met Michael Schumacher, then racing with Ferrari, during the British Grand Prix in 2002 when the latter also presented him with his Ferrari which Tendulkar recently sold for a Nissan GTR car.

Tendulkar was one of the high profile celebrities present at the venue along with Bollywood actors as well as fellow cricketers such as Yuvraj Singh and Harbhajan Singh. Tendulkar is said to be have been ecstatic about the prospect of being the one ot wave the chequered flag at the end and tweeted about it as much. Although Tendulkar is perhaps not all that well known across the Formula One world as he is amongst the cricket friendly nation, that he was possibly the highest ranked celebrity outside of the drivers themselves could not be argued.

There is undoubtedly a grand following for Formula One amongst Indians and the fact that the racing was brought to India made it more of a celebration of adrenaline that is not easy to get over as the weekend proved in plenty. However, that it can actually match the crazed following that cricket enjoys in India seems a task even the multi million dollar speed thrill would have earn over time. And that would not be easy with just the one race in India although it would have done a lot towards making more people aware of the sport and perhaps see more viewership from India for more international F1 races, although only two remain in the 2011 season.

While cricket cannot match steps with Formula One racing's worldwide following, it would certainly have a tough task sustaining interest in a sport that will see only one race a year.

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