December 19, 2010. India were fighting to avoid an innings defeat against South Africa in the first Test in Centurion. One man was taking on the likes of Dale Steyn & Co. with the might of his willow. That man was Sachin Tendulkar.
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India would lose the game and eventually draw the series. But that day Sachin would do what nobody had done before. Yes, with him it's a bit of a habit, but let's just add to it. He became the first player to score 50 Test hundreds. He had broken the record for most Test tons in 2005, and now 5 years later he had breached a major milestone.?
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It was a classy knock and would delay the inevitable for some time to come. His 241-ball knock saw 111 runs come from the bat with him staying unbeaten. 13 fours and one six scripted his innings. This would be his second last Test hundred. He scored his 51st in the 3rd Test of the same series. Sachin would never again cross three-figures in this format till his retirement in 2013. The South African bowlers were bowling with a lot of venom, but what really stood out was the way Sachin handled the pace and bounce. Even as his partners fell one by one, the Master Blaster was still going strong. Pretty soon the crowd new that they were going to witness something special as Sachin neared that milestone of 50 Test hundreds. India were clearly losing the match, but Sachin was going to give us something to cheer about.
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Then came the moment. Sachin hit the ball into the outfield and reached his 50th Test century. 20 years after his maiden hundred, here he was with a half-century of centuries in the oldest format of the game. It was a joyous occasion and an iconic moment in cricket history. The crowd cheered, millions rejoiced around the world as they saw it on TV and the South African players applauded a class innings by a class player. He was the last man standing when the innings ended. South Africa won by an innings and 33 runs, but Sachin had won his personal battle. This fighting spirit was inspired MS Dhoni's men to level the series in the next game and the drawn last Test ensured we went back with our heads held high.
12 years on, he still holds this record. For the moment, this record is safe.?