Top 5 memorable knocks from Sachin Tendulkar in Test matches

Sachin Tendulkar is always a legend. Although the legendary cricketer ended his professional career more than 12 years ago, his mark hasn't been affected yet. Sachin was an example of once-in-a-generation talent, and India was lucky to get his service for more than 20 years. 

Sachin still holds the record for most runs in international cricket as well as Test and ODI cricket. He is still the only player in international cricket history to record 100 centuries. Sachin still holds the record for most Test centuries (51 Test hundreds), while only Virat Kohli has managed to surpass Sachin's ODI centuries record (49 ODI hundreds).

While Sachin is the only player to record 200 Test matches, the right-handed batter played numerous memorable innings. Here, we have come up with Sachin's top five memorable Test batting performances.

119 not out vs England in 1990 Manchester Test

During the 1990 Manchester Test against the hosts England, while India were chasing the 408-run target in the fourth innings, the youngster Sachin Tendulkar showed his classy batting performance to save the Test match. While he scored a fighting 68 runs during India's first innings, the no.6 batter Sachin fought hard in the fourth innings. In the fourth innings, Sachin joined the crease when India were struggling at 109/4, while later the visitors were down to six wickets for 183 runs.

Sachin had an impressive partnership with Manoj Prabhakar for 160 runs for the unbroken seventh wicket. India scored 343/6 in the fourth innings, as the Test match ended in a draw. While Manoj scored 67 not out, Sachin hit his first Test century, as the right-handed batter scored 119 not out off 189 balls with 17 fours. 

146 vs South Africa in 2011 Cape Town Test

Sachin hit his 51st and last Test century during the 2011 Cape Town Test against the hosts South Africa. After South Africa were all out for 362 runs in the first innings, Sachin fought hard with the bat to challenge the hosts. After the opener Gautam Gambhir lost his wicket for 93 runs, India lost regular wickets, losing four wickets for just 43 runs (from 204/2 to 247/6).

Sachin continued his fight along with the tail-enders, as he had a 76-run partnership with Harbhajan Singh for the seventh wicket. While Harbhajan was out for 40 runs, Sachin scored a solid century, as the right-handed batter scored 146 off 314 balls with 17 fours and two sixes before losing his wicket. 

154 not out vs Australia in 2008 Sydney Test

The 2008 Sydney Test, Australia vs India, is popular for various controversies. That single Test experienced the "Monkeygate" racism scandal, shocking umpiring decisions (mostly favoured the hosts), and poor sportsmanship from the hosts. Due to massive controversies, Sachin's one of the greatest Test innings knocks, 154 not out, was buried.  

After Australia scored 463 all out, Rahul Dravid (53) and VVS Laxman (109) provided a good start. Then, Sachin had a 108-run partnership with Sourav Ganguly (67) for the fourth wicket. But after Ganguly was dismissed, the Indian batting line-up suddenly collapsed to 345/7. Sachin then rescued the visitors with a strong eighth-wicket partnership with Harbhajan Singh, who scored 63 runs in the 129-run partnership. Sachin remained not out for 154 off 243 balls with 14 fours and one six, as India scored 532 all out, ending with a lead of 69 runs. 

241 not out vs Australia in 2004 Sydney Test

It was one of Sachin Tendulkar's best batting performances, where the legendary batter set an example of how to move on from a tough situation. For more than a year, Sachin didn't record a Test century, while recording only two half-centuries during this period. While it was the fourth and last Test of that 2003-04 Australia tour, Sachin's highest score in that tour was 44 runs before that Test match.

While India scored 705/7 declare in the first innings of the 2004 Sydney Test, Sachin scored 241 not out off 436 balls with 33 fours. That innings is still very famous, as he totally avoided the risky shot cover drive in that innings. Later, during India's second innings, Sachin also scored 60 not out, as the visitors managed to set the fourth innings target of 443 runs. 

103 not out vs England in 2008 Chennai Test

In the 2008 Chennai Test against England, India had the fourth innings target of 387 runs, which the hosts successfully chased down. It was India's second-highest successful fourth innings target chase. Despite a century partnership between the openers Virender Sehwag (83) and Gautam Gambhir (66), where Sehwag produced a powerful start by scoring 83 off 68 balls, India were once struggling at 224/4. From that situation, Sachin and Yuvraj Singh built a steady unbroken fifth-wicket partnership to seal the game comfortably. While Yuvraj scored 83 not out, Sachin was not out for 103 runs off 196 balls with nine fours, and they had a 163-run partnership.