On this day: Sachin Tendulkar scores his first ODI century

It took him five long years and a wait of 78 ODIs, but once he got going there was no looking back. On 9th September 1994, Master Blaster Sachin Tendulkar scored his maiden century in one-day internationals, a 130-ball 110 against Australia at Colombo. The rest, as we know, is history.

Early years

Even before he made his mark in international cricket, Sachin Tendulkar was touted as the ‘next big thing’ by experts and seniors who watched him play in his domestic years. The diminutive teenager showed his first glimpse of brilliance on the 1989 tour of Pakistan, where he made his Test debut on November 15. The following month, he would go on to play his first ODI against the same opponent. But it was a forgettable debut, as Tendulkar was dismissed on zero facing just two deliveries. His second ODI appearance yielded another duck, this time against New Zealand.

Promotion up the order

In his first five years of ODI cricket, Tendulkar went on to score as many as 17 half-centuries batting in the middle order for India. While his Test career took off immediately with a maiden hundred in his second year, his first ODI ton remained elusive for a long time. However, on the 1994 tour of New Zealand, then-captain Mohammad Azharuddin promoted Tendulkar to open the innings. The move turned out to be a masterstroke for Tendulkar in Indian cricket. That day, his knock of 49-ball 82 as an opening batsman turned a new leaf in his ODI chapter.

The all-important ton

It was against a quality Australian bowling line-up that Tendulkar finally found his rhythm. Smashing eight fours and two sixes, he notched his maiden ODI century facing the likes of Glenn McGrath and Shane Warne. It was the start of a special era, an era that Tendulkar would go on to dominate by becoming an ODI beast.

Relive the great knock here:

#OnThisDay in 1994 – Batting great @sachin_rt scored his first ODI hundred. Relive the magic – DD SPORTS#Legend #SRT pic.twitter.com/hgvSm42yKK

— BCCI (@BCCI) September 9, 2019