Sachin Tendulkar sacrificed a century to give his Indian teammates crucial batting time in their drawn tour match against a Cricket Australia Chairman's XI in Canberra on Friday. Tendulkar retired on 92 as the Indians ended the match on 320 for six. CA Chairman's XI had declared at 398 for six on the first day.

V.V.S. Laxman also retired on 57 off 76 balls while Rohit Sharma remained unbeaten on 56 off 80 balls before bad weather intervened. The Chairman's XI had an early scalp when opener Ajinkya Rahane fell for three in the second over. Gautam Gambhir (35) and captain Rahul Dravid (45) put on 71 for the second wicket before Gambhir fell in the 21st over.

Dravid was dismissed just before lunch, but Tendulkar and Laxman steadied the innings with a 133-run partnership and both retired just prior to tea. Virat Kohli lasted just five balls before he was removed by Cameron Boyce for one shortly after tea. Wriddhiman Saha (23 not out) and Rohit added 74 before rain ended play early.

Tendulkar looked in splendid touch in the course of his knock, hammering 15 boundaries; his 92 came off 132 balls. Rooting for Tendulkar Ishant Sharma, who walked off the field on Thursday after bowling just 5.3 overs, said he was hoping Tendulkar scores his 100th international century in the Boxing Day Test — the first match of the series beginning in Melbourne on December 26.

“I think it would be a great place to do it. The only thing I will say is my teammates and I, all of us and all Indians… we don't want him to wait for too long now,” Ishant said. “It's been a while, but I hope he gets the 100th century in the first game. “It was good to see him bat like that. He was batting fluently and I hope he carries the same form into the Test series as well.”

Tendulkar has scored six Test centuries in Australia and averages 58.54 in his 16 Tests Down Under. The Indian maestro's last international century was a 111 against South Africa at the World Cup in Nagpur last March, with his last Test century — a 146 — coming at Cape Town, South Africa, last January. India will have another practice game — a three-day match against a Chairman's XI, starting in Canberra on Monday. The scores: Chairman's XI 398 for six declared drew with the Indians 320 for six (G. Gambhir 35, R. Dravid 45, S. Tendulkar retired out 92, V.V.S. Laxman retired out 57, R. Sharma not out 56).