The land of Proteas has always been a happy hunting ground for Sachin Tendulkar. The Master Blaster has scored five centuries against South Africa on their home soil in the 12 Test matches played. Out of the five Test series played since 1992-93, Sachin has scored a century in all of them except in the 2006-07 series. Unfortunately, all his centuries in South Africa have either been in a lost cause or in drawn Tests.
His highest score of 169 in Tests in South Africa came in the second Test at Newlands in Cape Town, while he was leading the side.
Sachin’s historic 50th Test century came against the Proteas in South Africa in the first Test at Supersport Part in Centurion in his last series there in 2010-11. In the same series, he scored his last Test century score of 146 not out at Newlands in Cape Town.
111 on 27 November 1992 at Wanderers, Johannesburg
Sachin’s first century in South Africa came in the second Test of the end-of-the-apartheid tour in 1992-93, where South Africa were bowled out for a modest 292 in the first innings.
India was reeling at 27/2 when Sachin came out to bat. But he failed to form a partnership as wickets continued to tumble at the other end, with him showing the only resistance to the South African attack, led by McMillan and Matthews.
When on 33, Tendulkar became the youngest at 19 years and 217 days to reach 1,000 runs in Test cricket. Sachin went on to score 111 before getting caught at mid on by Andrew Hudson off the bowling of Hansie Cronje.
In his innings of 111, he hit 17 fours and faced 270 balls. This was Sachin’s fourth century of his Test career. India went on to draw the Test match.
169 on 2 January 1997 at Newlands, Cape Town
After a disastrous first Test in Durban, where South Africa hammered India and handed them a 328-run defeat, Team India was looking for redemption.
South Africa won the toss and carried the momentum from the first Test, scoring a staggering 529/7 before declaring. The senior duo of Tendulkar and Azharuddin stitched a 222-run partnership after India were reduced to 58/5 in their first innings. Tendulkar hit 26 fours on his way to 169 in 254 balls without hitting a single six. Nelson ‘Madiba’ Mandela was there at the stand to witness the innings.
Unfortunately, heroics of both Tendulkar and Azharuddin went in vain as India plummeted to another defeat, and South Africa took an unassailable lead in the three-match series.
155 on 3 November 2001 at Goodyear Park, Bloemfontein
Under the leadership of Sourav Ganguly, India arrived at South Africa in 2001 to not only win their first ever Test series but also their first ever Test match.
The team couldn’t have asked for a better start, with both Tendulkar and Sehwag scoring hundreds, and in the process making a 220-run stand after India lost their first four wickets for only 68 runs. Tendulkar scored his 155 in 184 balls, at a strike rate of 85. He went on to hit 23 fours and one six in the innings before getting out to Makhaya Ntini at deep square leg.
India went on to lose the Test match as well as the series 1-0.
111* on 16 December 2010 at SuperSport Park, Centurion
This one had to be the most special of all the centuries by Tendulkar. With this, he went on to score a half-century of centuries.
After being bowled out for a paltry 136 in the first innings, India were batting out of their skin to avoid an innings defeat. South Africa had scored a massive 620 in their first innings before declaring. After openers, Sehwag and Gambhir, put India to a good start, Tendulkar and Dravid tried to continue the good work. After Dravid’s departure, skipper Dhoni stitched a 172-run stand with Tendulkar. Sachin was the lone man standing at 111 after the team got bowled out for 459. In one of his grittiest innings, Sachin scored 13 fours and one six, and went on to face 241 deliveries over a span of over five hours.
India lost the Test match by an innings and 25 runs.
146 on 2 January 2011 at Newlands, Cape Town
Sachin’s last Test century in South Africa was the last Test century of his career. The series drawn at 1-1, India was looking for that elusive first Test series win in South Africa.
After South Africa scored 362 in the first inning, India lost both Sehwag and Dravid very early. A 176-run stand between Gambhir and Tendulkar balanced the innings. Gambhir went on to score 93 while Tendulkar scored a 314-ball 146. Tendulkar hit 17 fours and two sixes before getting his stumps dismantled by a Morne Morkel.
India managed to draw the Test match and had to be satisfied with a drawn series.
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