Dhoni wants Tendulkar to celebrate 20 years with ton

Ahmedabad:

India skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni wants Sachin Tendulkar to celebrate his 20 years in international cricket by scoring a hundred in the first Test against Sri Lanka starting here on Monday.

"It can't get better than this...playing Test cricket after a long time, Sachin completing 20 years. Hopefully he will score a century. It can't get better than Sachin completing 20 years and getting a century (in the match)," said Dhoni at the pre-match media conference here today.

The 36-year-old Tendulkar made his debut on November 15, 1989 when he played against Pakistan in Karachi and has, since then, set many records in both Tests and ODIs.

He is the highest run-accumulator and century-maker in both forms of the game. The veteran has 42 Test and 45 one-day hundreds to his credit.

India last played a Test in March-April in New Zealand and have been playing only 50-over and Twenty20s since then.

Describing Tendulkar as a phenomenon, Dhoni said he felt honoured to share the dressing room with the champion right-hander.

"He's a phenomenon. His passion for the game, the way he has played and conducted himself, he has been a role model for 20 years. It's really amazing. I am honoured to share the dressing room with him. I did not even dream I would be playing with him," the wicket keeper batsman said.

Asked how the team will celebrate the milestone, Dhoni said "what the team does shall remain within the confines of the dressing room."

Sources in the team said the players will have a celebratory dinner tonight in the hotel room with Tendulkar and his family members, who are here.