Click here to see the full list
Century No: 41 (1st Test v England in Chennai, 2008)
This was the match that saw Indian batting great Sachin Tendulkar exorcise the ghost that haunted him from a decade ago, when at the same venue India lost a close match against Pakistan. If it wasn't for Sehwag's knock, India would have in all likelihood attempted for a draw. India accomplished the fourth greatest run-chase in Test cricket history when they chased down 387 runs on the final day of the Chennai Test match against England and fittingly it was Tendulkar who scored the winning runs and in the process got to his 41st Test hundred. Tendulkar, who in the process crossed the 1000-run mark for the year, played the sheet-anchor role.
Century No: 40 (4th Test v Australia in Nagpur, 2008)
Almost everything Sachin Tendulkar did - from opening his account with a brush off the pads for four, to punching gloves with VVS Laxman at lunch to strutting back after tea - pointed to a batsman full of intent. While the faster men were driven through cover, flicked to midwicket quite fluently or on-driven with laser-like precision, the spinners were tackled with excellent footwork. On 74 he survived a run-out opportunity; on 85 he mis-hit Krejza to mid-off; on 96 he skied Krejza once again to long-off where the catch was dropped. He played out another 11 dot balls on 99 before raising his bat in the warm Nagpur air after raising his hundred - and tenth against Australia - with a spanking cut. That it happened in the same city where Australia famously conquered the final frontier four years ago was poignant. India regained the coveted Border-Gavaskar Trophy, their first series win over Australia in eight years, after they bowled Australia out for 209 to win by 172 runs.
Century No: 39 (4th Test v Australia in Adelaide, 2008)
Sachin Tendulkar’s 39th Test hundred, against Australia in Adelaide, was one of his finest, and it rescued India from a tight corner at 156 for 4. It had the moments of adrenaline-fuelled strokeplay, a hint of chance, a dash of inventiveness and tons of intelligence. Bringing out his percentage game against a high-quality bowling attack, he waited out the tough patches. He also brought out what used to be one of his signature strokes: the charge against the spinners to launch them back into the stands. It was an aggressive innings, he completed his century off just 133 balls. He engaged in a compelling battle with Brett Lee and, after winning the initial rounds, was dismissed on 153 miscuing Lee to deep square leg.
Century No: 38 (2nd Test v Australia in Sydney, 2008)
After a mammoth 337-run loss in the first Test in Melbourne, the Australian juggernaut threatened to crush India in the second Test in Sydney as well, posting a challenging 463 in the first innings. After a Laxman century raised Indian hopes of a fightback, Tendulkar produced a masterclass which guided India past the Australian total. It was a flawless innings - impeccably-paced and marked by decisiveness in choosing which ball to leave and which to score off. Right through the innings, Tendulkar displayed a mixture of tight defence, controlled shot selection and dazzling strokeplay. His driving through cover off the back foot, cutting in front of and behind square, and checked punches back down the ground showed that there was no length or line tidy enough to control him when in the mood. He was undefeated on 154 when he ran out of partners and had given the Sydney crowd an innings to savour.
Century No: 37 (2nd Test v Bangladesh in Dhaka, 2007)
The Indians helped themselves to a torrent of runs against the hapless Bangladeshis as, for the first time in Test cricket, the top four batsmen scored centuries in the same innings. Tendulkar was unbeaten on a somewhat sedate 122, his second successive century which helped fetch him the Man-of-the-Series award. He opened out after his century to enable an early declaration. As if he hadn't tormented Bangladesh enough with the bat, he took the last two wickets of their second innings to seal India's largest Test victory.
Century No: 36 (1st Test v Bangladesh in Chittagong, 2007)
After a disastrous World Cup and calls for his retirement, and with India - playing only five batsmen - at a precarious 132 for 3, Tendulkar delivered, forging a 189-run partnership with Sourav Ganguly and ending a 17-month wait for a Test century. He avoided risky shots and patiently accumulated runs, milking the relentless Bangladeshi left-arm spinners. The perfectly paced knock was dedicated to his father as it came on his eighth death anniversary. Uncharacteristically, Tendulkar seemed to be addressing his critics after the knock when he declared, "After 17 years, I don't think I have a point to prove."
Century No: 35 (2nd Test v Sri Lanka in India, Delhi)
At exactly 16:44:19, in fading light on the first day of the second Test against Sri Lanka, at the Feroz Shah Kotla Sachin Tendulkar became Test cricket's most prolific century scorer. With a flick through square-leg off Chaminda Vaas he reached his 35th Test century, going past Sunil Gavaskar's record of 34 Test centuries. Gavaskar's record had stood for 22 years. As soon as Tendulkar reached his century, which included 13 fours and one straight six, and came off 177 balls, play was stopped for bad light with the score on 245 for 3 off 75.4 overs. Tendulkar was not out on an even 100, and had spent 279 minutes at the crease. Sourav Ganguly was the non-striker, on 39, and the partnership was worth 112 runs. 
Century No: 34 (2nd Test v Bangladesh in Bangladesh 2004 at Chittagong)
Amidst various chapters of history being re-written at the Bangabandhu National Stadium at Dhaka, this one occupied the headlines in all forms of media. Tendulkar's glittering hundred, his 34th in Tests, put him alongside Sunil Gavaskar in the century stakes and put India in absolute control of the opening Test. His century wasn't flawless, and had edgy moments interspersed gorgeous drives. When he was let off after being foxed by the Bangladesh bowlers, he made the fielders pay. While he was content to play the percentages in the early stages, with controlled square-drives to wide deliveries, he unfurled his range as the innings progressed. On reaching his hundred he joined an elite club of Gary Kirsten and Steve Waugh as the only men to have scored Test centuries against all countries.
Century No: 33 (1st Test v Pakistan in Pakistan 2004 at Multan)
After 14 years, an Indian team was playing Test cricket in Pakistan. Dravid was forced to step into the captain's seat as Ganguly was injured. India registered their first win on Pakistan soil in this Test match. The master and clone put on 336 for the 3rd wicket with Sehwag smashing lots of records and became the first Indian to score a triple century (309) with his role model Tendulkar for company for most part of his innings and Tendulkar supported him with a masterly unbeaten 194. The total of 675 was mammoth enough for India to inflict an innings defeat on Pakistan and now its all history now with Pakistan bouncing back in the 2nd Test and India winning back the 3rd Test to take the series also.
Century No: 32(4th Test v Australia in Australia 2004 at Sydney)
It was the 4th and last Test in Sydney and the build up to the Test match was extraordinary with Steve Waugh already announcing that it would be the last Test of his career. The series was tied at 1-1 with India winning at Brisbane, thanks to Dravid & Agarkar and Australia bouncing back at Melbourne. The world of cricket could not have asked for more - a series deciding Test match and the last Test match to a legend. Amidst all these, Sachin Tendulkar has been written about in the news, mostly by critics for scoring a paltry 82 runs in the 5 innings from 3 Test matches. Cometh the hour, cometh the man - Tendulkar decided to take centre stage this time and curbed all his loose shots and scored a precious 241 & 60 and remained unbeaten in both the innings. India came very close to winning the Test and the series for the first time in history, but Steve Waugh stood in the way with a valiant 80 and it was again Sachin Tendulkar who took the catch to finish Steve Waugh's Test career.
Century No: 31(3rd Test v West Indies in India 2002 at Eden Gardens, Kolkata)
India had comfortably won the first 2 Tests and West Indies were looking to salvage some pride. West Indies had won the first round of the 3rd Test by taking a 139 run lead in the first innings. Now it was India's turn to be on the back foot and play for time and save the Test match. The Caribbean bowlers had their tails up when they had India tottering at 87 for 4 with Sehwag, Dravid & Ganguly back in the hut. But our maestro had other plans and put on a 214 run partnership with VVS Laxman (154) and making 176 in the process which was incidentally his first hundred in Kolkata and India had comfortably saved the Test match and won the three Test series 2-0.
Century No: 30(3rd Test v England in England 2002 at Headingley, Leeds)
At the start of his 99th Test, Sachin Tendulkar was under enormous pressure with the media questioning the little master's ability to propel his team to a win in an away Test. Leeds, then, was where Tendulkar decided to answer them in the most emphatic manner possible. After Rahul Dravid (148) and Sanjay Bangar had laid the platform, Tendulkar (193) in the company of Sourav Ganguly (128) pulverised the England attack as India racked up their highest innings total in an away Test. Tendulkar's 30th Test ton, which saw him overtake the Don in the list of highest century makers in Test, was also his highest score in a Test that India won.
Century No: 29 (2nd Test v West Indies in West Indies 2001/02 at Trinidad)
It was a determined Tendulkar who stepped out to bat in the second Test against the West Indies at the Caribbean. His 29th birthday was fast approaching and he was desperate to score his 29th Test hundred to celebrate the occasion. After looking very vulnerable in the early part of the innings, Tendulkar settled in to raise the landmark. His 117 off 260 balls was also his first Test hundred in the West Indies. A relieved Tendulkar dedicated the innings to the memory of his late father.
Century No: 28 (1st Test v Zimbabwe in India 2001/02 at Nagpur)
After Deep Dagupta and Rahul Dravid had helped India make a strong beginning, it was the turn of Tendulkar to pile on the runs. Playing in an uncharacteristically sedate fashion, Tendulkar went on to register his 28th Test ton, making 176 off 316 balls with 23 fours. It might not have been the masterly exhibition of batting that the crowd had expected but the fact that their hero was now past Steve Waugh and Allan Border in the list of highest century-makers was cause enough for celebration.
Century No: 27 (2nd Test v Eng in India 2001/02 at Ahmedabad)
The little master scored his 27th Test hundred at the Sardar Patel Stadium, Motera in Ahmedabad (Gujarat) against the visiting England team on the third day of the second Test. After getting off to a very slow start on the second day, Tendulkar was unbeaten on 37 off 114 balls at lunch. After lunch though it was a transformed Tendulkar who tore into the English attack, notching his 27th 100 off just 183 balls, a feat which put him on level with Steve Waugh. Only the Don and Sunil Gavaskar have scored more Test tons.
Century No: 26 (1st Test v South Africa in South Africa 2001/02 at Bloemfontein)
With the team reeling from a South African pace barrage, Sachin Tendulkar played possibly the finest knock of his life. Lifting India from the depths, Tendulkar mixed caution and aggression to score 155, all the while encouraging and tempering debutant Virender Sehwag, who also made a century. The match was lost, which shows India's dependence on the maestro, but Tendulkar's innings was hailed as a masterpiece.
Century No: 25 (3rd Test v Aus in Ind 2000/01 at Chennai)
Tendulkar's 25th and latest Test hundred was his 4th in 5 Tests at Chepauk. After watchfully negotiating the early part of his innings, Tendulkar blossomed to play some lovely shots all around the wicket except in the V. Dropped on 82 by Michael Slater, Tendulkar's sixth century against Australia was a critical factor in India's series triumph.
Century No: 24 (2nd Test v Zim in Ind 2000/01 at Nagpur)
Tendulkar's second double century came eight Tests after his first. His unbeaten 201 was struck off just 281 balls and helped India enforce the follow on but Andy Flower pulled the chestnuts out of the fire for the visitors with a double hundred of his own.
Century No: 23 (1st Test v Zim in Ind 2000/01 at Delhi)
Tendulkar entered the Test series against Zimbabwe with a measly average of 25.75 in four previous innings. He corrected that imbalance with his first Test century at the Kotla coming on the heels of his longest bowling spell of 19 overs in Zimbabwe's first innings. Late on the fifth evening he also struck a run a ball to 39 to provide the impetus to India's successful run chase.
Century No: 22 (2nd Test v Aus in Aus 1999/00 at Melbourne)
Tendulkar's seventh and last Test century as captain arrived even as the rest of the team capitulated before a rampaging Brett Lee, making his Test debut.
Century No: 21 (3rd Test v NZ in Ind 1999/00 at Ahmedabad)
Tendulkar's first Test double century - and his highest first class score at the time - finally arrived in his 71st Test match. He and Ganguly added 281 for the fourth wicket as India plundered 583/7. Unfortunately the game may be better remembered for Tendulkar's decision not to enforce the follow on despite a lead of 275. New Zealand comfortably saved the game in the end.
Century No: 20 (1st Test v NZ in Ind 1999/00 at Chandigarh)
A clearly unwilling Tendulkar's second avatar as captain began inauspiciously as India were shot out for 83 on the first morning. But India recovered to hoist over 500 in their second knock; Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid adding 229 for the third wicket and finally New Zealand were left struggling to avert defeat on the fifth afternoon. Tendulkar's 20th Test century came off 215 balls.
Century No: 19 [2nd Match v SL in SL 1998/99 at Colombo (SSC)]
In the Asian Test Championship against Sri Lanka, Tendulkar notched up his sixth Test century against Sri Lanka, fourth in Colombo and third in the Sinhalese Sports Club ground. The draw followed by another draw at Lahore between Sri Lanka and Pakistan ensured that Sri Lanka nosed ahead of India into the final. 
Century No: 18 (1st Test v Pak in Ind 1998/99 at Chennai)
A gallant 136, overcoming the ravails of a debilitating back strain, could not mask the disappointment of a third successive century in a losing cause by Sachin. An inconsolable Tendulkar did not step out to receive the Man of the Match award which was collected on his behalf by Azhar. Saqlain Mushtaq inflicted a third ball duck on the master as he rashly advanced down the track for a unedifying slog. The final target was 271 and India looked to be history at 82/5. Tendulkar was the driving force behind an Indian revival, raising 136 for the sixth wicket with Nayan Mongia. He took India within 17 runs of victory before holing out off Saqlain. It was the beginning of a slump that saw the last four wickets crash for four runs.
Century No: 17 (2nd Test v NZ in NZ 1998/99 at Wellington)
Tendulkar's second innings effort of 113 set up the possibility of a rare Indian overseas victory. Chasing 213, New Zealand slumped to 74/5 but McMillan and Cairns ferried the hosts to a four wicket triumph.
Century No: 16 (3rd Test v Aus in Ind 1997/98 at Bangalore)
After a relative failure in Calcutta, where he made a mere 79, still his highest on the ground, Tendulkar carved out a rollicking effort in the final Test, racing to his fastest Test century in just 107 balls. But a second innings collapse, triggered by the persistent Michael Kasprowicz, handed Australia victory on a platter by eight wickets.
Century No: 15 (1st Test v Aus in Ind 1997/98 at Chennai)
First blood to Warne as Tendulkar stepped out to play an expansive drive and edged to Mark Taylor at slip in the first innings. India conceded a 71 run lead but on the fourth day Tendulkar made amends by pillaging a century in just 127 balls en route to an unbeaten 155. Chasing 348, the same target Australia set India in the Tied Test on the same ground 11 years earlier, the visitors caved in to lose by 179 runs.
Century No: 14 (3rd Test v SL in Ind 1997/98 at Mumbai)
Four months later Sri Lanka arrived in India for the return series and predictably all three Tests were drawn. In the third Test Tendulkar collected his first ton at his home ground of Mumbai, putting on 256 for the fourth wicket with Ganguly, but Sri Lanka scraped a draw with three wickets standing on the final day.
Century No: 13 [2nd Test v SL in SL 1997/98 at Colombo (SSC)]
Another batathon in the second and final Test produced six centurions to add to the six in the first Test. Tendulkar's century took his series average to 96.66, excellent in itself but only fifth on either side in the series.
Century No: 12 [1st Test v SL in SL 1997/98 at Colombo (RPS)]
India declared late on the second day at 537/8; Tendulkar's 143 being the highest of three centuries on the Indian side. Sri Lanka reduced the proceedings to a farce by batting through the rest of the game to amass 952/6. Sanath Jayasuriya and Roshan Mahanama added 576 for the second wicket as the Indians were condemned to spending close to 20 hours on the field.
Century No: 11 (2nd Test v SA in SA 1996/97 at Cape Town)
Tendulkar's first Test century as captain came at Newlands in Cape Town. He made a glorious 169 in the first innings adding 222 for the fifth wicket with Azharuddin to retrieve a perilous situation at 58/5 but India still contrived to lose by 282 runs. 
Century No: 10 (3rd Test v Eng in Eng 1996 at Nottingham)
Tendulkar and Ganguly added 255 for the third wicket in the first of their many century stands in either version of the game. Atherton at gully failed to latch on to a rasping square cut from Tendulkar before he had scored. Tendulkar was also caught at first slip off a noball on 119. His knock was just a little overshadowed by Saurav Ganguly's second century in successive Test innings.
Century No: 9 (1st Test v Eng in Eng 1996 at Birmingham)
Sachin made 122 out of 219 (55.7% of the team total) in India's second innings but could not prevent an eight wicket rout inside three and a half days. He reached his century with a six off debutant left arm spinner Min Patel, also born in Bombay.
Century No: 8 (2nd Test v WI in Ind 1994/95 at Nagpur)
Tendulkar's then highest Test score of 179 arrived in the orange city of Nagpur in his home state.
Century No: 7 (1st Test v SL in Ind 1993/94 at Lucknow)
Sachin extracted 142 from the same opponents as India won the first Test en route to a 3-0 series drubbing, all by an innings, in the most lopsided contest in history. He was slightly overshadowed by the irrepressible Sidhu who struck 8 sixes in his innings, just two short of the then world record.
Century No: 6 [2nd Test v SL in SL 1993/94 at Colombo (SSC)]
Tendulkar struck an unbeaten 104 in India's first away victory in over seven years and last in almost eight years, discounting the victory over Bangladesh as the tourists escalated the scoring on the penultimate day in advance of a declaration.
Century No: 5 (2nd Test v Eng in Ind 1992/93 at Chennai)
Tendulkar's first Test century on home soil came at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, over the years to become his favourite hunting ground. Reaching his century off 140 balls, Tendulkar advanced to his highest Test score of 165 as India wrapped up an innings victory. It was Tendulkar's first century in an Indian win.
Century No: 4 (2nd Test v SA in SA 1992/93 at Johannesburg)
The worth of Sachin's 111 can be put in perspective when one considers that no one else crossed 25 in the Indian first innings. He finally fell to the gentle medium pace of Hansie Cronje who would dismiss him five times in Test cricket. When on 33 Sachin became the youngest batsman to reach 1000 runs in Tests at 19 years and 217 days.
Century No: 3 (5th Test v Aus in Aus 1991/92 at Perth)
An even better effort from Sachin on the daunting WACA wicket against a four pronged pace attack comprising of McDermott, Hughes, Reiffel and Whitney. A series of rasping square cuts were the centrepiece of his 114 which occupied 161 balls.
Century No: 2 (3rd Test v Aus in Aus 1991/92 at Sydney)
Tendulkar became the youngest man to score a Test century in Australia with an unbeaten 148 even as a callow leg spinner by the name Shane Warne, four years his senior, conceded 150 in his debut game. Tendulkar and Shastri added 196 for the fifth wicket as India posted a healthy first innings lead but rain which lopped off 94.1 overs of playing time robbed India of victory.
Century No: 1 (2nd Test v Eng in Eng 1990 at Manchester)
At 17 years and 112 days Sachin Tendulkar heralded his maiden Test century in his ninth appearance. He was only 30 days older than Mushtaq Mohammed was when he became the youngest player to score a Test century against India in 1960. The context in which it was made was even more remarkable. Chasing a target of 408 in a minimum of 88 overs, India had slipped to 183/6 with two and a half hours left on the fifth day, when Tendulkar - batting with a couple of pads that belonged to Sunil Gavaskar - marshalled a recovery in the company of Manoj Prabhakar. The pair produced an unbroken 160 run stand for the seventh wicket to bail India out of danger. Dropped on 10 by Eddie Hemmings off his own bowling, Tendulkar flourished to strike 17 boundaries.
