New Delhi: The Master Blaster went on to became a giant of the game but it wasn't until September 9, 1994 that Sachin Tendulkar, five years after making his ODI debut, scored his first hundred in limited overs cricket for India.
Maiden ODI Hundred#OnThisDAy in 1994, @sachin_rt scored his maiden ODI Hundred in his 78th ODI. @bbctms' legend @blowersh behind the mic. pic.twitter.com/MhD8Y90FHJ
— Cricketopia (@CricketopiaCom) September 9, 2017
It all started at Colombo's R Premadasa Stadium in a Singer World Series match against Australia that Tendulkar, showed glimpses of a great player he was to become in the years to come.
#OnThisDay in 1994, @sachin_rt scored the first of his 49 ODI centuries - amazingly in his 78th match! He made 110 v Australia in Colombo. pic.twitter.com/AT5tuKYP7c
— ICC (@ICC) September 9, 2017
For a player of his caliber, it was surprising that he hadn't scored an ODI hundred previously in 77 matches.
There was one difference though in the prior years. Sachin hadn't opened from 1989-1993 and it was only earlier in 1994 that he had hit 82 off 49 balls against New Zealand, batting as a opener for the first time.
He smashed eight fours and two sixes - one off feared pacer Craig McDermott and the other off Shane Warne.
Today in 1994 at Colombo: Sachin Tendulkar made his maiden ODI 100- 110 v Aus in 79th match & 76 inns
His ODI record then: 2126 runs, 50s:17 pic.twitter.com/iwUSb0ANZx— Mohandas Menon (@mohanstatsman) September 9, 2017
He cut a short ball from Warne towards deep cover and ran two to raise his bat. Ironically, at the other end was his childhood friend Vinod Kambli who did not waste much time to congratulate Tendulkar with a warm hug.
Tendulkar went on to make 110 off 130 balls at a strike rate of 84, considered fast at that time.
India ended up with 246 for eight in 50 overs, before bowling out Australia for 215 in 47.4 overs courtesy Tendulkar's opening partner Manoj Prabhakar's 3 for 34 and Rajesh Chauhan's 2 for 41. India went on to win the series in a rain-truncated final beating hosts Sri Lanka by six wickets. Tendulkar was the second highest run-getter in the series (127 runs in four matches) behind Arjuna Ranatunga (195). Before the century, Tendulkar had scored 2126 ODI runs with the help 17 half-centuries.
At the same point in his career, Australia's Ricky Ponting had five centuries to his name in 78 ODIs. By the time Virat Kohli played his 78th ODI, he had smacked eight centuries and incidentally, Joe Root, also had eight centuries after playing 78 ODIs.
