Tendulkar celebrates 20 years with century

Twenty years and five days after his first Test appearance, Sachin Tendulkar made his 43rd century yesterday. It was less dazzling than most of the previous 42 but there was a sense of inevitability that he would mark his two decades as an international batsman and it ensured that India saved the first Test match against Sri Lanka in Ahmedabad.

From his 263 innings, Tendulkar now has five more Test hundreds than Ricky Ponting, his closest rival, and he has also scored 45 one-day centuries. India lost only two wickets on the fifth day in reaching 412 for four and only 21 wickets fell in the entire match.