Reliving Sachin Tendulkar's Test hundreds: Centuries 1-5
When Sachin Tendulkar was selected to play for India in 1989, at the age of 16, for the tour of Pakistan, there was widespread belief that he would go on to become one of India's stars. In that regard, he did not do too badly. What made the initiation into international cricket such a challenge was the fact that the first three Test series that he played were all away from home and for a teenager finding his feet, it was a daunting task.
Yet, Tendulkar gave a good account of himself in Pakistan and New Zealand, before scoring his first hundred in England, going on to become one of the world's best young batsmen. Here is a look at the first five Test centuries that he scored in international cricket.
#5 119* v England, Old Trafford, 1990
In the second innings of the second Test of the three-match series at Old Trafford, Manchester, Sachin scored the first century of his career and helped India stave off an embarrassing defeat on the last day of the game. At 17 years and 107 days, Tendulkar also became the youngest batsman to score a Test century at the time and after all these years, he is 4th on the list of the youngest Test centurions.
Tasked with scoring 408 on the last day to win, India were forced to play for a draw and when Tendulkar came out to bat, the scoreboard read 109-4. However, instead of going into his shell and trying to block everything, Tendulkar decided to play a stroke-filled innings, taking the game to the bowlers.
He struck 17 boundaries in his 119* and scored at a strike rate of almost 63 to keep the bowlers honest at all times. When play finally ended, he had remained unbeaten and at the tender age of just 17, had helped the team draw a Test in England. It remains one of his finest ever centuries.