Sachin Tendulkar completes a year without century
On March 12, 2011 Sachin Tendulkar did something that he has not done in the last twelve months - score a century.
On March 12, 2011 Sachin Tendulkar did something that he has not done in the last twelve months - score a century.
On the same day last year, Tendulkar had scored 111 against South Africa during their league match in the ICC World Cup. Although India lost that match by 3 wickets, Tendulkar had raised his 99th international hundred. And since then the wait for his hundredth ton has continued.
But this isn't the longest gap between his centuries. Having made his first international hundred in August 1990, it took Tendulkar 17 months (a year and 5 months) to score his second century. And since then he has made 99 centuries - 51 in Tests and 48 in ODIs.
He had had a brilliant in 1998 when he scored 12 tons in a year. In 1999 too he had a good run as he made eight centuries. He scored an equal number of centuries in 2010 as well.
Since his 111 vs the Proteas, Sachin has missed the much-awaited century four times by a whisker. During the World Cup semi-final against Pakistan, Tendulkar made 85 runs before he was dismissed by spinner Saeed Ajmal.
During India's disastrous England tour, Tendulkar neared the three figure but fell prey to his nervous-nineties syndrome. In the fourth Test at The Oval, he was on 91 in the second innings when he was trapped in front of the wicket by Tim Bresnan.
His next 'almost-there' moment came against the West Indies in Mumbai. He scored 94 runs in the first innings at the Wankhede Stadium when he Ravi Rampaul sent him back.
The last time when he looked like getting there was in Sydney, where India played their second Test against Australia. Tendulkar made 80 runs in the second innings but his journey was cut short by Aussie skipper Michael Clarke.
India are now playing in the Asia Cup in Dhaka. Can the Master Blaster get his hundredth hundred there?