Sachin tendulkar's 49th Test ton leaves Ponting, and rest of the world, in his wake

It is not completely true, as his most ardent admirers are wont to suggest, that when a 16-year-old Sachin Tendulkar made his debut against Pakistan in 1989, he entered the Test arena unannounced. Two years earlier he had scored 326 not out in a schools match, setting a world-record third-wicket stand of 664 with that great displeasure of the modern game, Vinod Kambli. Yet even those who sensed back then that he was a prodigal aptitude, seemingly touched by divinity, never imagined he would reach the landmark he passed this week.

In scoring an unbeaten 191 in the second Test of India's series against Australia in Bangalore yesterday, Tendulkar emphatically declared that he is in the form of his life – a point established by his beating Graeme Swann to the ICC Player of the Year award last week. At 37, that is more than most batsmen can boast; but then none of them have passed the 14,000-run barrier, as India's hero did on Sunday. India completed yesterday on 435 for 5, chasing Australia's first innings of 478.

"As far as me chasing Sachin..." Ponting said ironically of his great rival a fortnight ago, "I was actually expecting that he might have retired before now." Kapil Dev, India's finest all-rounder, still insists Tendulkar has not satisfied his talent. On current form, and much to his opponents' panic, the Little Master appears to agree.