Tendulkar scores 38th century

Tendulkar ton guides India past 400

India 8 for 500 (Tendulkar 145*, RP Singh 13*) lead Australia 463 by 37 runs
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How they were out

Sachin Tendulkar made his 38th Test century and India took the lead on Australia's total on the third day in Sydney

	After several nineties in 2007, Sachin Tendulkar got a century at the earliest opportunity in 2008 © Getty Images

The century that eluded Sachin Tendulkar repeatedly in 2007 came at the earliest possible opportunity in 2008 as he helped India negotiate a post-lunch wobble and reduce the deficit to just 39 runs in the company of a feisty Harbhajan Singh. Australia sniffed a chance of gaining a sizeable lead when they snapped up two quick wickets immediately after the lunch break, but Tendulkar then took over.

Mahendra Singh Dhoni let Australia get a foot in the door, trying to play a forcing shot off the back foot against Brett Lee and only managing a catch to Adam Gilchrist. When Anil Kumble, usually good for some stodgy resistance, fell to the same combination soon after, with India still trailing by 118, they were in serious trouble.

But Tendulkar deftly shifted gears, sensing that it was important that runs came quickly and was helped along by an adventurous Harbhajan. While Harbhajan's hitting, unorthodox and improvised, over the slips cordon and through the on-side, was a major bonus for India, it was Tendulkar who made the big difference.

Up until the lunch break Tendulkar had played a battling innings, getting to a half-century but not really attacking the Australian bowling. After lunch, with quick wickets falling, Tendulkar signalled his intentions with an upper-cut four into the vacant third-man region.

From there on the strokes were a treat to watch, and this Sydney crowd, perhaps watching Tendulkar play his last Test at the venue, applauded warmly even as Australia's bowlers were denied results. When he drove Stuart Clark through cover off the back foot and ran the brace that took him to three figures, there was no wild celebration for Tendulkar, rather an understated taking off of the helmet and acknowledgement of the crowd's cheers.

While Tendulkar's hundred provided the backbone, Harbhajan's unbeaten 41 proved invaluable as the two put on an unbeaten 79 runs going into the tea break. India were in with a good chance of wiping out the Australian lead, but it was not always that way.

The first session of the third day was hard work for India's batsmen. Ganguly continued his recent good run with some gorgeous strokes through the off side. The timing was impeccable and he started the day with a couple of caressed boundaries off Lee. He used his feet well to the spinners and made his own length by going either back or forward.

He heaved Brad Hogg over mid-on, lofted Michael Clarke over the straight boundary and cut when the spinners corrected the length. It was a soft dismissal at the end, as he fell trying to clear mid-off with Hogg getting a crucial wicket once more. The disappointment on missing out on a century was evident as he smashed his bat in the ground before walking off.

Meanwhile, Tendulkar was circumspect. He chose to defend against the seamers, taking care not to push outside the off stump and concentrated on staying out there in the middle. It was not a completely monk-like effort like 2004 as he played a few forcing strokes against the spinners. He swept and lofted Hogg and cut Clarke but it was clear that it was a day where he was going to embrace caution over bravado. Clarke troubled him on a couple of occasions with his floaters - Tendulkar survived a confident shout for lbw - but he battled on.

The momentum changed completely with Ganguly's fall. Yuvraj Singh never looked in. Never a confident starter against spin, he struggled against Hogg. He failed to pick the turn, lunged forward uncertainly and was hurried on by the occasional flipper. And the struggles continued when Lee returned with the second new ball. Lee tucked him up with well-directed short ones at his ribs before trapping him with a full one that held its line.

India 'properly prepared' - Tendulkar

Series win would be Sachin' s career highlight

India 'properly prepared' - Tendulkar

Sachin Tendulkar was dismissed for 19 in the washed-out tour match against Victoria but he is confident India have played enough cricket lately to be ready for Boxing Day © Getty Images

Sachin Tendulkar says it would be the highlight of his career if India can complete the mammoth task of beating Australia in the four-Test series that starts on Boxing Day. No visiting team has won a Test series in Australia since West Indies in 1992-93 and Tendulkar, who is embarking on his fourth tour of Australia, is desperate to taste the ultimate success before he retires.

"I think it would be the most important tour if we can pull it off," Tendulkar said. "Beating Australia is obviously the ultimate thing because the way they have played for so many years makes it a special tour. Having come here four times, it would be a wonderful occasion."

India last visited Australia in 2003-04, when they won the Adelaide Test and secured a 1-1 series draw. Australia have now triumphed in their past 14 Tests and two more would see them equal their own record set under Steve Waugh, but it was India who broke that winning streak in 2000-01 and Tendulkar is keen to help them do it again.

Their tour started with a three-day game against Victoria at the Junction Oval but only 48 overs were possible because of Melbourne's wet weather and play was abandoned completely on Saturday. Some parts of Melbourne had more than 100 millimetres (four inches) of rain in the week to Saturday morning - most of it in the last two days - although a warm change was expected by Christmas.

During the rain breaks India trained at the MCG's indoor nets and if Melbourne's weather remains nasty they will be back there several more times before the first Test. But Australia's coach Tim Nielsen said India would still be fresh from their tough series against Pakistan and Tendulkar agreed that they were already primed for Boxing Day.

"We have come here properly prepared because although the practice match was rained off, we have come here having played Test cricket, which is extremely important," Tendulkar said. "We are geared up and as far as I am concerned we are ready and we would like to go out there and put on a good show. We are confident."

However, he felt it would have been ideal if the players had more time to rest and recuperate between Test series. India arrived just days after a demanding home series against Pakistan and their season includes a massive seven back-to-back Tests.

"We can have more cricket, but it's equally important to have a little more gap in between the tours," he said. "But the international calendar is very tight so there's not much time to go back home and assess things."

Tendulkar made an entertaining, albeit brief 19 against Victoria and he is certain that the knee injury that kept him out of the final Test against Pakistan is behind him. He also wants to keep up his impressive form in Australia - from 12 Tests Tendulkar has made 1029 runs at 54.15. But India's hopes rest not only on Tendulkar but also on how quickly his team-mates can adjust to the bouncier pitches in Australia.

"All the batters have scored runs so they are feeling confident," he said. "What you do out there in the middle matters. You can practice various things but you have to go out there and get used to the occasion. Once you calm down your nerves, everything falls into place."

Tendulkar wraps up Indian test win

NEW DELHI, India -- Sachin Tendulkar completed his 46th test half-century as India wrapped up a six-wicket victory over Pakistan in the first test in New Delhi on Monday.

Tendulkar is now second only to Brian Lara in the list of test run scorers.

The hosts knocked off the 32 runs they needed to win and go ahead in the three-match series off 6.2 overs, Tendulkar finishing with 56 not out.

Tendulkar, 32 overnight, pulled pacemen Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Sami for fours and reached his half-century by hitting leg-spinner Danish Kaneria through the covers for a boundary.

He finished the match with a square-cut four off Akhtar.

"Every time he (Tendulkar) goes out to bat he has to handle pressure and he has done it for the last 18 years," said India captain Anil Kumble.

"The hunger is there as always. He is definitely going to be number one test batsman in terms of runs, centuries, everything."

During this match Tendulkar became the second-highest test scorer with 11,207 runs and a record 37 centuries. Retired West Indies captain Brian Lara is now the only player ahead of him with 11,953.

Shoaib was Pakistan's best bowler with four for 58.

He denied left-handed Sourav Ganguly a 50 in his second over of the morning, having him caught pulling by debutant Sohail Tanvir at fine-leg.

Ganguly fell at his overnight score of 48 after putting on 88 for the fourth wicket with Tendulkar to set up the comfortable victory. He hit eight fours in his 64-ball knock.

Kumble said:"I think the boys responded very well. Everyone contributed in this win. The stand between Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Laxman in the first innings was very crucial. Laxman is a class player.

"Our bowlers kept pressure in the second innings and then came the Ganguly-Tendulkar stand, which was the turning point."

The match was a personal triumph for veteran leg-spinner Kumble, who finished with seven wickets on his captaincy debut and was named man of the match.

The second Test begins in Kolkata on Friday.