Tendulkar crosses 13,000 Test runs

Chittagong:

On a gloomy day when the Indian batting order collapsed in a heap against minnows Bangladesh, Sachin Tendulkar quietly reached yet another milestone when he became the first batsman to score 13,000 Test runs here on Sunday.

The highest run accumulator in both the Test and ODI versions of the game went into the first Test needing 30 runs to reach the milestone. Batting on 28, Tendulkar pulled Mahmudullah in the 36th over and the ball raced to the rope to bring up his 13000 runs in Tests in the 36th over.

The batsman acknowledged the applause from the sporting crowd of the Zohur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium. In the dressing room, coach Gary Kirsten was also seen clapping.

As if to celebrate the feat, Tendulkar drove the next ball through covers for another four.

Tendulkar's wait for the feat could have been longer had Imrul Kayes been able to hold on to the catch he nearly took in the slip off Shafiul Islam when the batsman was on 16.

The clanger allowed Tendulkar to amble towards his 55th Test fifty as he stood tall amid ruins, remaining unbeaten after a 140-ball 76.

Tendulkar went into the match having amassed 12,970 runs from 162 Tests at an average of 54.72 with the help of 43 centuries and 54 half centuries.

His record is equally impressive in ODIs with the batting great piling up a record 17,394 runs from 440 one dayers, averaging 44.71 and including 45 centuries and 93 half centuries.