Monday, May 21, 2012
In early 2009, India revisited Sri Lanka for five ODIs, as the
Pakistan series had been cancelled due to the security situation in
Pakistan and the attacks in Mumbai. Tendulkar failed to reach double
figures in any inning, before becoming injured.
India's next assignment was an away series against New Zealand,
consisting of three Tests and five ODIs. In the ODI series, Tendulkar
made a 163 not out in the third match, an innings ended by stomach
cramps that forced him to retire hurt. India made 392 and won easily and
won the series 3–1. Tendulkar made 160 in the first test, his 42nd Test
century, and India won. He made 49 and 64 in the second test and 62 and
9 in the third, in which India were prevented from winning by rain on
the last day. India won the series 1–0.
Tendulkar rested himself for the ODI tour of West Indies, but was
back for the Compaq Cup (Tri Series) between India, SL and New Zealand
in early September 2009. He made 46 and 27 in the league matches before
notching up 138 in the final, as India made 319 and won by 46 runs. This
was Tendulkar's 6th century in ODI finals and his third consecutive
score of over 50 in such finals. India has won all six times that
Tendulkar has made a hundred in an ODI final.
Tendulkar played just one innings in the ICC Champions trophy in
South Africa, scoring 8 against Pakistan as India lost. The next match
against Australia was washed out and he was out with food poisoning in
the third match against the West Indies, as India were eliminated.
Australia returned for a seven-match ODI series in India in October,
and Tendulkar made 14, 4, 32 and 40 in the first four games. In the
fifth match, with the series tied at 2–2, Australia amassed 350/4 in 50
overs. Tendulkar made his 45th ODI hundred, a 175 off 141 balls. Just
when it seemed that he would steer India to the large victory target, he
paddle-scooped debutant bowler Clint McKay
straight to short fine leg, with India needing 19 from 18 balls with
four wickets left. The Indian tail collapsed, and they lost by 3 runs,
being all out for 347. During this match, Tendulkar also became the
first player to reach 17,000 ODI runs, and achieved his personal best
against Australia, as well as the third highest score in a defeat.
In the ODIs against Sri Lanka in 2009–10, Tendulkar scored 69, 43, 96
not out and 8, as India won 3–1.In the Test Series, he scored a 100 no
out in the first test, which was drawn, and 40 in the second and 53 in
the third test as India clinched innings victory in both tests. India
won the series 2–0.[93]
Sachin rested himself for the ODI tri-series in Bangladesh in 2010.
In the Tests against Bangladesh, he made 105 not out and 16 in the first
test, and 143 in the second. India won 2–0.
In the 2-Test Series against South Africa,
Tendulkar made seven and 100 in the first test and 106 in the first
innings of the second test. In the course of the second 100 (his 47th
Test Hundred) he achieved several landmarks, in that he had scored four
hundreds in his last four matches and that the hundred against South
Africa in the first Test was the first at home against South Africa. The
century was also his hundredth score over 50 in International Test
cricket, moving him to 92 international hundreds (Tests and ODIs
combined). In the second match of the subsequent ODI series, Tendulkar
scored 200 not out to become the world's first person to score a double
century in ODI cricket.[94]
