On August 14, 1990, 17-year-old Sachin Tendulkar announced himself at Old Trafford by producing the first of many three-figure innings that would go on to define an extraordinary international career.
Thirty-six years ago today, he scored his maiden Test century, an unbeaten 119 against England in Manchester. It was his first international hundred, the first of the 100 centuries he accumulated across Tests and ODIs.
Tendulkar was still at the very beginning of his international journey. He had made his Test debut against Pakistan in Karachi less than a year earlier and arrived in England having already shown glimpses of the talent that had made him one of India’s most talked-about young cricketers. England had won the opening Test at Lord’s, and declared their second innings at 320/4, setting India a target of 408 on the final day.
Ravi Shastri, Navjot Sidhu, Sanjay Manjrekar, Dilip Vengsarkar and captain Mohammad Azharuddin were all dismissed with India still some distance from safety. When Kapil Dev departed with the score at 183/6, England had an opening.
However, Tendulkar stepped up, ensuring that England could not capitalise on their momentum. Batting alongside Manoj Prabhakar, the teenage sensation negotiated the English attack and steadily took India away from danger, completing his maiden century. India reached 343/6 by the close of play, securing a draw.
What followed over the next 23 years is now part of cricketing history.
Tendulkar would finish his Test career with 15,921 runs and 51 centuries. In 2012, he became the first cricketer to reach 100 international centuries.
But before all those records came the first one. Thirty-six years later, it remains as the first milestone in a career like no other.
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