Yesterday the whole of India celebrated yet another century by Sachin Tendulkar, arguably India's most loved son. He became the first ever to score 40 tons. In fact, from now on each run and each century is going to be a new record. Some people have the best of both worlds, isn't it?
Things started well for Sachin from the beginning. The Indians had got off to a good start. This is something that is quite unusual considering the kind of starts we have seen in the past decade or so after the retirement of a certain SM Gavaskar. The Indian batsmen, Sehwag in particular, made a point to attack the debutant spinner, Jason Krejza, from the very beginning. Sachin took the mantle from Sehwag after he left. Almost got a life when on 4 playing a back-to-the-bowler drive. But he soon settled down in company with Laxman. But his luck was soon going to play more part in his journey.
When Sachin was in his 60s, he got in a mixup with Laxman and almost left stranded in the middle of the pitch. The occasion got to Krejza who missed the direct hit and the master lives on to flirt with danger. He got another reprieve when on 86. He charged Krejza as was the decorum of the day and miscued the shot. Mitchell Johnson almost made it there and dropped the catch, only to find his skipper hand the ball to him the next over. But the mother of all was to arrive soon.
Sachin was in yet another 90s of his career, if only he had converted half of his 90s he would have got 50 centuries by now. The crowd was backing him to make it with a thumping six. And the bowler was Mr Krejza. He charged the bowler only to find Brett Lee going after the shot to take one of the most important catch of his career. Running backwards, like a warrior, he did everything right except catching the ball. He dropped it and with it, probably, the series as well.
It was probably when Sachin decided "enough is enough". He took a fresh guard and was more determined to get it. He hasn't got a 3-figure score since Jan 08. Played 2 maidens in a row. And it was soon time for the crowd to explode. Krejza bowled a wide-short one, which Sachin duly dispatched it to the cover boundary. Did his customary celebrations and before hugging Sourav Ganguly said to him, "Bhagwan bharose..". That would summarise how he himself rated his 10th century against the Aussies.
