119* vs England, Old Trafford, 1990 All of 17 and on his first tour of England, Tendulkar made his first Test century a significant one. India had been set an improbable target of 408 to win the second Test, but at 127 for 5 they were on the road to defeat. Then Tendulkar, on a tricky pitch, batted for almost four hours – this after he took 54 minutes to get off the mark for his first-innings 68 – to earn his team a creditable draw. Batting in a pair of Sunil Gavaskar's pads, he put on 160 with Manoj Prabhakar before the match ended. His innings contained possibly every shot in the book, spanned 224 minutes with 17 boundaries, and duly earned him the Man-of-the-Match award.
"In the second Test match I decided that come what may I am going to spend minimum 45 minutes here and then see what happens," reflected Tendulkar of his maiden Test century a couple years ago, "because the players around me told that the first 15-20 minutes are always tough but once you stay there for longer than 25-30 minutes then things start changing gradually."
114 vs Australia, Perth, 1992
On a lightning-quick WACA surface, India were blanked by 300 runs to go down 4-0 in the series. But Tendulkar's contribution in the first innings was mesmerizing and showed the cricket-mad Australian public that he was a player on the verge of greatness at the age of 19. Promoted to No. 4 – the spot he would make his own – Tendulkar stunned Australia with a stroke-filled 114. Looking on as India lost six wickets for 90 runs, he batted sublimely before being last out at a total of 240. His second fifty took 55 balls and he added a record ninth-wicket partnership against Australia of 81 with Kiran More. Ultimately India were rolled over for 141 second time around, with Tendulkar making five, but he had made people take notice of his genius.
In later years, Tendulkar said that 114 on a fast and bouncy WACA track changed the course of his life and gave him the necessary confidence to tackle any sort of bowling attack.
169 vs South Africa, Cape Town, 1996-97
Another crushing defeat, another dazzling Tendulkar century. On his previous tour of South Africa, Tendulkar had made 202 runs at 33.66 including a century that helped India draw in Johannesburg. This time around, as captain of the side, Tendulkar was joined by his predecessor Mohammad Azharuddin at 58 for 5 in reply to the hosts' 529 for 7. What followed was 40 overs of bravado batting, which resulted in 222 runs. South Africa's bowlers were torn apart, with Tendulkar hitting 26 fours in his 254-ball 169. After Azharuddin (115 off 110 balls) departed, Tendulkar carried on to be the final Indian wicket to fall, after nearly six hours at the crease. His excellent century had averted the follow-on and given fans more reason to feel proud of their hero, never mind that India lost the match by 282 runs.
155* vs Australia, Chennai, 1997-98
Billed as the Tendulkar v Warne showdown, the Border-Gavaskar Trophy saw the former emphatically squash any notions Australia's legspinning genius had of finishing on top. After falling for four to Warne in India's first innings, Tendulkar came to the middle in the second with India 44 runs behind Australia. Warne was in the middle of a testing spell, bowling around the stumps and into the rough, but the hours of training before the series proved immense for Tendulkar. Grabbing hold of the bowling, Tendulkar displayed his repertoire with a stunning assault on Warne. Particularly eye-catching was his employment of the sweep shot, sometimes aerial with sheer disdain, as Warne was made to look decidedly pedestrian. Tendulkar's unbeaten 1555 handed India a match-winning 347-run lead but more importantly, negated Warne's threat and left a psychological mark on the legend.
143 vs Australia, Sharjah, 1997-98
Tendulkar wasn't finished with Warne yet. The year 1998 was arguably the best he has ever batted, with his aggression being the distinctive feature to his game, and when India met Australia in the UAE after the Tests he again stunned them with his mastery. Chasing a score of 254 to beat New Zealand on net run-rate and make the tri-series final, India were handed their target by Tendulkar. Single-handedly, he defied the attack and sandstorm with a innings of supreme skill and energy. A spot in the final sealed, Tendulkar then attempted to win the match. It wasn't to be, but the Australians had been sounded an ominous warning.
134 vs Australia, Sharjah, 1997-98
Two days later, and on his 25th birthday, Tendulkar produced another spectacular century – his 15th in ODIs - to deliver India the series title. He was unstoppable, producing an array of the finest shots possible on a cricket field to drive India to their target of 272 quite comfortably. It was arguably his finest innings for India in 50-over cricket, coming against the top ODI team and in the cauldron of a final in Sharjah.
136 vs Pakistan, Chennai, 1998-99
Widely hailed as Tendulkar's best Test century for the sheer effort and mental fortitude that it required, this 136 took India to the doorstep of what would have been an epic win over Pakistan. Chasing 271 to win, India stumbled at the top to leave Tendulkar, suffering from back spasms, to halt the slide. He did that emphatically, handling a red-hot Saqlain Mushtaq on a turning Chepauk surface with immense concentration and application. At 254 for 6 on the final afternoon, India were 17 away from victory with Tendulkar still at the crease. But severely hampered by his aching back, he mistimed a lofted drive and holed out, after which Pakistan wrapped up an unforgettable Test by 12 runs. So devastated was Tendulkar that he did not come out of the dressing room for the post-match presentation, instead sitting in tears and solitude.
117* vs Australia, Sydney, 2007-08
Tendulkar answered critics who questioned his ability to seal tough chases in ODI cricket – he had not managed a chase-winning ODI century since 2001 or in any chase since 2004 - with a superb unbeaten century in the first of three CB Series finals. Chasing 241 against the world champions, Tendulkar guided India's innings with an impeccable 117 as the visitors took a decisive advantage in the finals. He shepherded the team's younger players expertly while never losing sight of his goal. In doing so, he also finally achieved an ODI century on Australia soil. It was one that few fans could forget.
200* vs South Africa, Gwalior, 2009-10
Just a few months after he scored an excellent 175 off 141 balls in an ODI against Australia, Tendulkar broke a barrier that had not been breached in over 40 years. On a flat track in Gwalior, he stunned the South Africans to become ODI cricket's first male double-centurion. Tendulkar overcame cramps, heat and humidity to script an amazing innings which contained 100 runs in fours alone. He finished on exactly 200 not out, taking his tally of ODI centuries to 46 while eclipsing Saeed Anwar's 194 against India and Charles Coventry's 194 not out versus Bangladesh.
His first century took 90 balls, his second half-century just 28 balls, and he reached 200 with a steer past backward point. His awesome effort took India to a match-winning 401 for 3 and afterwards, ever-modest, Tendulkar said: "I don't think any record is unbreakable. I hope that if this record is broken, it's done by an Indian." Profound words, for in December 2011 his opening partner Virender Sehwag would do just that.
146 vs South Africa, Cape Town, 2010-11
India's chances of winning their first Test series in South Africa were hit hard by Dale Steyn, who was in the middle of an outstanding spell of sheer pace and nasty away swing. In reply to South Africa's 362, India had slipped to 28 for 2 when Tendulkar walked in. Steyn was getting the semi old-ball to talk at high pace, and produced two fiery spells either side of lunch on the third day. Tendulkar faced 48 of those 66 deliveries and somehow came up on top. His handling of Steyn was excellent, and even though he was made to hop and fend and sway and miss Tendulkar held his composure to see off Steyn. His 146 proved the difference between a first-innings lead and big deficit. India didn't win the match, but Tendulkar had contributed significantly to a rare drawn series in South Africa.
List of Sachin's hundred international tons
1. 119 not out vs England at Old Trafford Cricket Ground, Manchester on 14 August 1990
2. 148 not out vs Australia at Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney on 6 January 1992
3. 114 vs Australia at WACA Ground, Perth on 3 February 1992
4. 111 vs South Africa at Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg on 28 November 1992
5. 165 vs England at M A Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai on 12 February 1993
6. 104 not out vs Sri Lanka at Sinhalese Sports Club, Colombo on 31 July 1993
7. 142 vs Sri Lanka at K D Singh Babu Stadium, Lucknow on 19 January 1994
8. 179 vs West Indies at Vidarbha Cricket Association Ground, Nagpur on 2 December 1994
9. 122 vs England at Edgbaston Cricket Ground, Birmingham on 8 June 1996
10. 177 vs England at Trent Bridge, Nottingham on 5 July 1996
11. 169 vs South Africa at Newlands Cricket Ground, Cape Town on 4 January 1997
12. 143 vs Sri Lanka at R Premadasa Stadium, Colombo on 3 August 1997
13. 139 vs Sri Lanka at Sinhalese Sports Club, Colombo on 11 August 1997
14. 148 vs Sri Lanka at Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai on 4 December 1997
15. 155 not nout vs Australia at MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai on 9 March 1998
16. 177 vs Australia at M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bangalore on 26 March 1998
17. 113 vs New Zealand at Basin Reserve, Wellington on 29 December 1998
18. 136 vs Pakistan at MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai on 31 January 1999
19. 124 not out vs Sri Lanka at Sinhalese Sports Club, Colombo on 28 February 1999
20. 126 not out vs New Zealand at Punjab Cricket Association Stadium, Mohali on 13 October 1999
21. 217 vs New Zealand at Sardar Patel Stadium, Motera, Ahmedabad on30 October 1999
22. 116 vs Australia at Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne on 28 December 1999
23. 122 vs Zimbabwe at Feroz Shah Kotla, New Delhi on 21 November 2000
24. 201 not out vs Zimbabwe at Vidarbha Cricket Association Ground on 26 November 2000
25. 126 vs Australia at MA Chidambaram Stadium on 20 March 2001
26. 155 vs South Africa at Goodyear Park, Bloemfontein on 3 November 2001
27. 103 vs England at Sardar Patel Stadium, Motera, Ahmedabad on 13 December 2001
28. 176 vs Zimbabwe at Vidarbha Cricket Association Ground, Nagpur on 24 February 2002
29. 117 vs West Indies at Queen's Park Oval, Port of Spain on 20 April 2002
30. 193 vs England at Headingley, Leeds on 23 August 2002
31. 176 vs West Indies at Eden Gardens, Kolkata on 3 November 2002
32. 241 not out vs Australia at Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney on 4 January 2004
33. 194 not out vs Pakistan at Multan Cricket Stadium, Multan on 29 March 2004
34. 248 not out vs Bangladesh at Bangabandhu National Stadium, Dhaka on 12 December 2004
35. 109 vs Sri Lanka at Feroz Shah Kotla, New Delhi on 22 December 2005
36. 101 vs Bangladesh at Bir Shrestha Shahid Ruhul Amin Stadium, Chittagong on 19 May 2007
37. 122 not out vs Bangladesh atSher-e-Bangla National Stadium, Mirpur on 26 May 2007
38. 154 not out vs Australia at Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney on 4 January 2008
39. 153 vs Australia at Adelaide Oval, Adelaide on 25 January 2008
40. 109 vs Australia at Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium, Nagpur on 6 November 2008
41. 103 not out vs England at MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai on 15 December 2008
42. 160 vs New Zealand at Seddon Park, Hamilton on 20 March 2009
43. 100 not out vs Sri Lanka at Sardar Patel Stadium, Motera, Ahmedabad on 20 November 2009
44. 105 not out vs Bangladesh at Zohur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium, Chittagong on 18 January 2010
45. 143 vs Bangladesh at Shere Bangla National Stadium, Mirpur on 25 January 2010
46. 100 vs South Africa at Cricket Association Stadium, Nagpur on 9 February 2010
47. 106 vs South Africa at Eden Gardens, Kolkata on 15 February 2010
48. 203 vs Sri Lanka at Sinhalese Sports Club, Colombo on 28 July 2010
49. 214 vs Australia at M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bangalore on 11 October 2010
50. 111 not out vs South Africa at SuperSport Park, Centurion, on 19 December 2010
51. 146 vs South Africa at Newlands Cricket Ground, Cape Town, on 4 January 2011
List of ODI centuries:
1. 110 vs Australia at R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo, on September 9, 1994,
2. 115 vs New Zealand at IPCL Sports Complex Ground, Vadodara, on October 28, 1994
3. 105 vs West Indies at Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Jaipur, on November 11, 1994
4. 112 not out vs Sri Lanka at Sharjah Cricket Association Stadium, Sharjah, on April 9, 1995
5. 127 not out vs Kenya at Barabati Stadium, Cuttack, on February 18, 1996
6. 137 vs Sri Lanka at Feroz Shah Kotla, New Delhi, on March 2, 1996
7. 100 vs Pakistan at Padang, Singapore, on April 5, 1996
8. 118 vs Pakistan at Sharjah Cricket Association Stadium, Sharjah, on April 15, 1996
9. 110 vs Sri Lanka at R Premadasa Stadium, Colombo, on August 28, 1996
10. 114 vs South Africa at Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai, on December 14, 1996
11. 104 vs Zimbabwe at Willowmoore Park, Benoni, on February 9, 1997
12. 117 vs New Zealand at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bangalore, on May 14, 1997
13. 100 vs Australia at Green Park Stadium, Kanpur, on April 7, 1998
14. 143 vs Australia at Sharjah Cricket Association Stadium, Sharjah, on April 22, 1998
15. 134 vs Australia at Sharjah Cricket Association Stadium, Sharjah, on April 24, 1998
16. 100 not out vs Kenya at Eden Gardens, Kolkata, on May 31, 1998
17. 128 vs Sri Lanka at R Premadasa Stadium, Colombo, July 7, 1998
18. 127 not out vs Zimbabwe at Queens Sports Club, Bulawayo, on September 26, 1998
19. 141 vs Australia at Bangabandhu Stadium, Dhaka, on October 28, 1998
20. 118 not out vs Zimbabwe at Sharjah Cricket Association Stadium, Sharjah, on November 8, 1998
21. 124 not out vs Zimbabwe at Sharjah Cricket Association Stadium, Sharjah, on November 13, 1998
22. 140 not out vs Kenya at County Ground, Bristol, on May 23, 1999
23. 120 vs Sri Lanka at Sinhalese Sports Club, Colombo, on August 29, 1999
24. 186 not out vs New Zealand at Lal Bahadur Shastri Stadium, Hyderabad, on November 8, 1999
25. 122 vs South Africa at IPCL Sports Complex Ground, Vadodara, on March 17, 2000
26. 101 vs Sri Lanka at Sharjah Cricket Association Stadium, Sharjah, on October 20, 2000
27. 146 vs Zimbabwe at Barkatullah Khan Stadium, Jodhpur, on December 8, 2000
28. 139 vs Australia at Nehru Stadium, Indore, on March 31, 2001
29. 122 not out vs West Indies at Harare Sports Club, Harare, July 4, 2001
30. 101 vs South Africa at New Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg, on October 5, 2001
31. 146 vs Kenya Boland Park, Paarl, on October 24, 2001
32. 105 not out vs England at Riverside Ground, Chester-le-Street, on July 4, 2002
33. 113 vs Sri Lanka at County Ground, Bristol, on July 11, 2002
34. 152 vs Namibia at City Oval, Pietermaritzburg, on February 23, 2003
35. 100 vs Australia at Roop Singh Stadium, Gwalior, on October 26, 2003
36. 102 vs New Zealand at Lal Bahadur Shastri Stadium, Hyderabad, on November 15, 2003
37. 141 vs Pakistan at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi, on March 16, 2004
38. 123 vs Pakistan at Sardar Patel Stadium, Motera, Ahmedabad, on April 12, 2005
39. 100 vs Pakistan at Arbab Niaz Stadium, Peshawar, on February 6, 2006
40. 141 not out vs West Indies at Kinrara Academy Oval, Kuala Lumpur, on September 14, 2006
41. 100 not out vs West Indies at IPCL Sports Complex Ground, Vadodara, on January 31, 2007
42. 117 not out vs Australia at Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney, on March 2, 2008
43. 163 not out vs New Zealand at AMI Stadium, Christchurch, on March 8, 2009
44. 138 vs Sri Lanka at R Premadasa Stadium, Colombo, on September 14, 2009
45. 175 vs Australia at Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Hyderabad, on November 5, 2009
46. 200 not out vs South Africa at Roop Singh Stadium, Gwalior, on February 24, 2010
47. 120 vs England at M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bangalore, on February 27, 2011
48. 111 vs South Africa at Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium, Nagpur, on March 12, 2011
49. 114 vs Bangladesh in Dhaka, on March 16, 2012