Landmark that came a year late for Sachin Tendulkar

So finally, Sachin Tendulkar did reach the half century-mark, although of a different kind. Fifty Test centuries was a figure never thought of until a few years ago! But after nearly 21 years in international cricket, Tendulkar has yet another landmark to his name and this is certainly the one that looks like will stay on for sometime.

However, considering the number of achievements he has to his credit, this particular record is one that could have been achieved much earlier than he ultimately did. And the primary reason for the delay is his eight scores in the nineties.

Not many remember his maiden Test century as a 17-year-old at the Old Trafford on August 14, 1990, when he, along with Manoj Prabhakar (67*), put an unbeaten 160 for the seventh wicket, which not only saved the Test but almost brought the team close to an unlikely win.

India was set a target of 408 to win in about 90-odd overs on the last day, but soon after lost half their side for 127 runs, before Tendulkar and Kapil Dev added a further 56 for the sixth wicket. When Prabhakar joined the teenager, just before tea, India were still 225 behind with just four wickets standing. The pair took the score to 343/6 - just 65 short of the target. Just a boy then, Tendulkar is today much grown both in years and in stature!

Interestingly, just six months prior to his maiden Test hundred at Manchester, Tendulkar — aged 16 — reached 88 against New Zealand at Napier and was in line to become the youngest to score a Test century.  However, his uppish drive off the bowling of Danny Morrison went straight to the Kiwi skipper John Wright, who ten years later went on the coach the Indian side. A tearful Tendulkar returned back to the pavilion missing his maiden hundred by just 12 runs.

The first time he was dismissed in the nervous 90s was six years into his career, against Sri Lanka at Bangalore on January 27, 1994. With an overnight score of 90, Tendulkar was soon dismissed six runs later — bowled by left arm spinner Don Anurasiri. He then missed what could have been his eighth century of his Test career.

Three years later, at Bridgetown, Barbados, on March 28, 1997, Tendulkar, leading the side on this occasion, was dismissed for 92 after he was caught by Sherwin Campbell off the bowling of Ian Bishop. Incidentally, India went on to lose this match by 38 runs after being set a moderate target of just 120 runs. Tendulkar still calls this match his most disappointing of his entire international career.

On February 24, 2000, against the South Africans at the Wankhede Stadium — his home ground — Tendulkar fell three short of a century, caught behind by Mark Boucher off the bowling of Jacques Kallis.

The first and only time in his entire Test career, Tendulkar was dismissed stumped, when English ’keeper James Foster flicked the bails off the bowling of Ashley Giles at Bangalore on December 21, 2001. He missed that century by 10 runs!
Eight months later, on August 12, 2002, he fell to a part-time bowler in Michael Vaughan for 92 at Trent Bridge. Then, on March 10, 2005, at Mohali against Pakistan, he was dismissed for the sixth time in the nineties — 94 (caught by Asim Kamal off the bowling of Naved-ul-Hasan).

2007 was the year of missed hundreds for Tendulkar. He, however, missed just one century in Tests (lbw for 91 by Paul Collingwood at Trent Bridge on July 29, 2007). He had the misfortune of being dismissed in the nineties on six occasions in ODIs, which included three scores on 99!

His recent 98 against the Aussies at Mohali on October 3, 2010, was the closest he has come while missing a Test century. Marcus North, meanwhile, became the second part-time bowler after Vaughan to claim Tendulkar’s wicket in the nineties.

The great Don Bradman, despite his near-7000 Test runs in 80 innings, does not have a single score in the nineties. The closest the Don missed a Test century was when he was dismissed for 89 against England at Lord’s in June 1948, which incidentally came in the 75th innings of his Test career.

Had Tendulkar converted all his eight scores in the nineties into three figures, he would have reached this amazing landmark a year ago. His match saving unbeaten 100 against Sri Lanka at the Motera, Ahmedabad on the last day on November 20, 2009, would have given him his 50th Test century.

This means his Centurion Test century should have been his 58th of his career. Where does he go from here is anyone’s guess!