Hello and welcome back to SlogVlog! In today’s post, we continue our journey through Sachin Tendulkar’s most memorable innings—and bring this series to a close. It’s been an incredible ride revisiting some of the finest moments of the Master Blaster’s career, and we hope you enjoy this final part.
Let’s get started!
6. 111* VS South Africa, Centurion 2010:
This knock is a very special one—not just for Sachin Tendulkar, but for Test cricket and the game as a whole. This century, although it came in a losing cause, was Tendulkar’s 50th Test hundred. He remains the only player to have reached that milestone, and he achieved it on foreign soil, in a SENA country.
It came in 2010—a year that marked a remarkable resurgence for Sachin Tendulkar. At 37, he reminded the cricketing world exactly who he was, showing that greatness doesn’t fade with age. No matter the generation, when Sachin Tendulkar was at his peak, very few could come close.
Coming to the match, India were in deep trouble early on. They were bundled out for just 136 in the first innings, and South Africa responded with a massive 620/4 declared, powered by Jacques Kallis’ brilliant double century, along with centuries from Hashim Amla (140) and AB de Villiers (129).
India needed something special—and they got it. The openers, Gautam Gambhir and Virender Sehwag, put together a strong stand of 137, with Sehwag being the first to fall. Rahul Dravid then contributed a solid 43, while nightwatchman Ishant Sharma added 23.
Then came the moment—Sachin Tendulkar walked in at No. 5 and did what he does best. Alongside him was captain MS Dhoni, who played a superb knock of 90 off 106 balls before falling to Dale Steyn.
Through it all, Tendulkar stood tall. He remained unbeaten on 111, bringing up his historic 50th Test century. His celebration had a rare edge of aggression—and rightly so. Moments like these don’t come often.
However, once Dhoni fell, the rest of the batting collapsed quickly, as India went from 437/6 to 459 all out. South Africa, despite not being able to dismiss Tendulkar, wrapped up the match comfortably—but this innings ensured that the game would always be remembered for one man.
You can take a look at the Master Blaster’s 50th test century, through this video on youtube.
7. 136 VS Pakistan, Chennai 1999:
Before Virat Kohli became known for his dominance against Pakistan, it was Sachin Tendulkar who set the benchmark. His record against India’s neighbours was exceptional, and this innings stands as one of the greatest examples of that dominance—an innings where he almost single-handedly took on a world-class Pakistan side.
What makes this knock even more remarkable is the physical condition he was in. Tendulkar walked out to bat with a severe back injury, yet determined to fight it out. It wasn’t just about skill—it was about grit, resilience, and representing the nation despite physical limits. He literally put his body on the line for the nation.
India were chasing 271 at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, but the start couldn’t have been worse. Two wickets had already fallen for just 6 runs, and the pressure was immense against a high-quality Pakistani bowling attack. What followed was a classic Tendulkar rescue act. Even as wickets kept falling at the other end and India slipped to 82/5, he stood firm, absorbing pressure and counterattacking when needed.
He didn’t just survive—he controlled the chase. Every boundary lifted the crowd, every defensive shot showed his determination to stay. All he needed was one solid partnership—and that finally came through Nayan Mongia. The two added a crucial 136-run stand, with Mongia playing the perfect supporting role, scoring a patient 52 off 135 balls while Tendulkar carried the bulk of the responsibility.
Battling pain, pressure, and a relentless bowling attack, Tendulkar crafted one of the finest innings under pressure—136 off 273 balls. But soon after Mongia’s dismissal, he fell to Saqlain Mushtaq. When he walked back, exhausted and in pain, India needed just 17 runs to win. The job was almost done.
And then came the heartbreak. Without Tendulkar, the rest of the batting lineup crumbled under pressure, and India fell short by 12 runs in one of the most agonising defeats in Test history. The crowd at Chepauk, despite the loss, rose to applaud him—a rare moment that showed the true impact of that innings.
That innings, and the heartbreak that followed—is what made this Chennai Test unforgettable. Sachin also won the Man Of The Match award for his performance this match, a rare sight to see, as players from the losing team often don’t get the award.
Some innings win matches, this one won hearts.
If you want to rewatch this wonderful century by Sachin Tendulkar, then just click on the given link below.
8. 155 VS South Africa, Bloemfontein 2001:
This is a story of not just one innings—but two. Confused? Let me explain.
By the time cricket entered the new century, Sachin Tendulkar was already firmly established as one of the greatest to ever play the game. And this innings was yet another reminder of just how heavily India relied on him.
India were put into bat by South Africa, and things went downhill almost immediately. The top order collapsed, and within the first 90 minutes of play, it felt like India had no way back into the contest. But as long as Tendulkar was at the crease, India always had a chance.
What made this innings even more special, though, was the arrival of a new face—Virender Sehwag. This was Sehwag’s debut Test match, and he walked in at a time when India were reeling at 68/4. What followed was the beginning of something truly iconic.
Tendulkar and Sehwag stitched together a magnificent 220-run partnership, rescuing India from what looked like an inevitable collapse. It wasn’t just about survival—it was about counterattack. Tendulkar played one of his more aggressive Test innings, scoring 155 off just 184 balls at a strike rate of 84.23—exceptional for that format.
At the other end, Sehwag announced himself on the big stage in style, scoring a superb 105 on debut before falling to Shaun Pollock. It was a fearless, free-flowing innings—one that gave India a glimpse of what was to come.
India eventually lost the match by 9 wickets, but the result almost felt secondary. Because this game gave us the first look at a partnership that would go on to become one of the most iconic in Indian cricket.
That day, it wasn’t just about Tendulkar’s brilliance—it was about the beginning of a new era.
9. 214 VS Australia, Bengaluru 2010:
The year 2010 was truly special for the greatest of all time. As mentioned earlier, it marked the resurgence of the vintage Sachin Tendulkar—the version our parents grew up watching and admiring. The man who once seemed unstoppable returned, but this time, he was operating on another level altogether.
He scored a staggering 1562 runs, with 7 centuries in just 14 matches. For a brief period, he was even described as “Bradmanesque,” as his average stood at an astonishing 99.5—remarkably close to Don Bradman’s legendary career average of 99.94. To peak like that is rare. To do it at the age of 37? Almost unheard of. As I said in Part 1—Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar was just that good.
Coming to this innings, even 21 years after his debut, India still depended on him in moments of crisis. He walked in with India struggling at 38/2, and found an able partner in Murali Vijay, who played a magnificent knock of 139. Together, they stitched a massive 306-run partnership, bringing India close to Australia’s first-innings total of 478.
This innings rewrote history. Tendulkar became the first cricketer ever to reach 14,000 runs in a single format—Test cricket. A milestone so massive that many players don’t even reach that number across their entire careers. And yet, he achieved it with three years still left in his journey.
The records didn’t stop there. He became the first Indian cricketer to score six Test centuries in a calendar year, later adding a seventh against South Africa in Centurion. This was also his sixth double century and his 11th Test hundred against Australia—proof of just how much he thrived against one of the toughest oppositions in world cricket.
Tendulkar eventually fell for a magnificent 214 off 363 balls. He batted for 547 minutes—nearly 10 hours of sheer concentration and class. As has often been the case, India stumbled soon after his dismissal, collapsing from 486/6 to 495 all out.
However, this time, the team rallied. India bowled Australia out for 223 in the second innings with a clinical performance, and chased down the target of 207 comfortably. And fittingly, Tendulkar was there at the end, unbeaten on 53*, guiding India home.
He was awarded both the Player of the Match and Player of the Series, as Captain MS Dhoni and the Indian team lifted the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
You can rewatch this memorable knock through this youtube link-
10. 57 VS Pakistan, Sialkot 1989:
Not as impactful as some of his other innings, but this one tells a powerful story—of how a 16-year-old boy went to Pakistan, faced one of the most lethal bowling attacks of that era, and played on with a broken nose. It was a glimpse of the grit, courage, and passion he had for representing his country.
This was the tour where Sachin Tendulkar made his debut for India. He first walked out in Karachi and quickly realised that the pace he had faced in domestic cricket back home was nothing compared to what awaited him at the international level. He scored just 15 in that match—but that’s not the innings we’re talking about.
By the time the fourth Test came around, Tendulkar had already shown promise with a half-century in Faisalabad. But what followed next defined his character. Facing a fiery spell from Waqar Younis—who, interestingly, was also making his debut in the same series—Tendulkar was struck on the nose by a brutal delivery. Blood flowed, the pain was evident, and most would have walked off.
But not him.
He refused to leave the crease. Instead, he chose to fight. Against a world-class attack featuring the likes of Wasim Akram and Imran Khan, the 16-year-old stood tall, playing with a broken nose and immense composure. He went on to score a gritty 57—an innings far greater than the number suggests.
I remember my dad telling me this story—how a 16-year-old Tendulkar stood there, blood streaming from his nose, and still took on bowlers like Wasim and Waqar. As a kid, it almost sounded unreal, like how does someone even play with a broken nose?
Playing through injury is never easy, even for seasoned professionals. But for a teenager, on debut tour, in hostile conditions—it was extraordinary. This was the moment that made people believe India had found something special. As many would say, “Yeh ladka kamaal karke dikhaayega.”
Even the Pakistani bowlers were taken aback—not just by his courage, but by the elegance with which he countered them despite the pain.
This wasn’t just an innings. It was a statement.
Before he became a legend, he proved he belonged—Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar was just that damn good.
You can see a young injured Sachin bashing the two most dangerous bowlers in Asia through this youtube video-
I hope all of you enjoyed reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it. I may not have witnessed Sachin Tendulkar’s greatness firsthand, but I did get to feel a part of it by revisiting his innings, watching them closely, and analysing them. That’s why this series has been a little more driven by emotion than the rest.
Until next time!
Thank you.
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