So intent has Sachin Tendulkar been on shunning publicity this summer, it would have been fitting had he scored the most eagerly anticipated century of recent times in the lowest key match of India's tour. But unfortunately for the great batsman, the 6685 fans who braved Perth's sweltering heat and a billion Indians, not even a change of opponent brought Tendulkar closer to his 100th international century last night at the WACA Ground.
India won, in farcical fashion by four wickets with 20 balls to spare after two Sri Lankan fielders let a simple skied chance drop between them, but the milestone Tendulkar is chasing remains a millstone. Expectation grew as Tendulkar reached 48 but luck deserted him when he played seamer Angelo Mathews onto his stumps. He had come tantalisingly close to suffering the same fate when on 26.
Another fine innings by impressive firebrand Virat Kohli swung the game back in India's favour but, on 77, he sacrificed his wicket and suffered muscle cramps chasing a suicidal single. He was run out by Lasith Malinga, who threw down the stumps at the non-striker's end from mid-on.
Kohli suffered the ignominy of being carried off the field by trainers but as humiliating as his exit was, it should not detract from his reputation as one of India's finest young batsmen. His contribution ensured spin-bowling all-rounders Ravi Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja were left a challenging rather than difficult job to guide India to just their second win of the tour.
The Sri Lankans have room for considerable improvement but that will need to come quickly, particularly with the bat, if they are to have any hope tomorrow of toppling Australia. The gun trio of Tillakaratne Dilshan, Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene all made starts but none produced the innings that would have made Ryan Harris, Mitchell Starc and company tremble in their sleep.
Instead, it was the world No. 4's rising wicketkeeper-batsman Dinesh Chandimal, with a fluent 64 off 81 balls in just his second match in this country, and Mathews's 33 off 28 balls at the death that enabled Sri Lanka to set a reasonably competitive target.
