Tendulkar scripts history with 100th century

India’s Sachin Tendulkar has become the first batsman in history to score 100 international centuries, adding another milestone in his record-breaking career.

Tendulkar, who turns 39 next month, achieved the feat as he recorded his 49th one-day century in the Asia Cup match against Bangladesh at the Sher-e-Bangla stadium in Dhaka on Friday.

The iconic Indian batsman, who has compiled more Test and one-day runs than anyone in history, reached the record with a single, marking the moment with a modest glance to the sky while pointing to the Indian flag on his helmet.

“Wherever I went, to restaurants, the house keeping, the room service, whoever I met just spoke about the 100th hundred” Sachin Tendulkar

Millions of fans in India and across the cricketing world endured an anxious year-long wait before Tendulkar finally reached the landmark in the four-nation tournament, the symbol of one-day supremacy in the continent.

“Precisely a year ago when I got my 99th hundred no one spoke about it during the World Cup. And then it was I guess the media who started all these,” Tendulkar said.

“Wherever I went, to restaurants, the house keeping, the room service, whoever I met just spoke about the 100th hundred.

“It became a little difficult mentally, because I am not playing only for my 100th hundred.

“The 99 hundreds that I scored, nobody spoke about them. Everyone had their opinion but eventually I have got to do what is important for the team.”

He scored his 99th ton during a World Cup match against South Africa in Nagpur on March 12 last year, but failed to add to the tally on subsequent tours of England and Australia and a home series against the West Indies.

Former Australian captain Ricky Ponting is the second batsman on the all-time list with 71 international centuries.

Run-making machine

When it comes to accumulating runs, Tendulkar has established himself as the greatest cricketer of all time.

Since his 1989 Karachi debut, the little master, as he is popularly called, has scored almost 34,000 international runs from 188 test matches, 462 one-dayers and one T20 international.

The great Australian cricketer Don Bradman once remarked that the Indian’s batting reminded him of his own playing days.

For a man who possesses virtually every batting record worth possessing – including the first ODI double century – Tendulkar burnt his fingers with captaincy.

Tendulkar is omnipresent in this part of the globe, peeping from television screens and giant billboards peddling cement, credit card, educational loan, digital camera, cold drinks, energy drinks and even promoting egg consumption, milking every ounce of the brand Sachin.

He has dismissed the idea of going into retirement and maintains he is enjoying his game.

India opener Virender Sehwag, who is not playing in the Asia Cup due to an injury, tweeted: “Congratulations ! It’s a small thing for you but a phenomenal historic achievement.

“Dinner’s on me when we meet. Many more!”

Former allrounder Mohinder Amarnath said it was a special day for Indian cricket and the country was lucky to have Tendulkar.

“His passion, determination and dedication to the game is admirable. It’s not easy to have played for 23 years at the international level in these times,” Amarnath said.