On this day in 2009, Sachin Tendulkar added yet another milestone to his illustrious career. During the first Test between India and Sri Lanka in Ahmedabad, Tendulkar became the first cricketer in history to surpass 30,000 international runs. The feat was achieved when Tendulkar reached 35 in India’s second innings, clipping a delivery from Chanaka Welegedara to deep square leg for a single.
The historic moment
The Test itself was a run-fest on a flat Motera pitch. India batted first, amassing 426 runs with contributions from Rahul Dravid (177) and MS Dhoni (110). Sri Lanka responded emphatically with a colossal 760 for 7 declared, led by Mahela Jayawardene’s marathon 275 and centuries by Tillakaratne Dilshan (112) and Prasanna Jayawardene (154 not out). India faced the daunting task of batting out the final day to save the match. Amidst this scenario, Tendulkar played a crucial innings.
Tendulkar reached this landmark, combining his runs from Tests, ODIs and a solitary T20I appearance. His tally at the time included 12,777 Test runs, 17,178 ODI runs and 10 T20I runs. Later in the innings, he went on to notch up his 43rd Test century, staying unbeaten at 100 as the match ended in a draw.
Stellar record
This milestone was a testament to Tendulkar’s longevity and unparalleled consistency across formats. Having debuted at just 16 years old in 1989, Tendulkar evolved into the backbone of Indian cricket. By the time he retired in 2013, he had extended his record to 34,357 international runs, a number still untouched by any batter. His 100 international centuries remain another unassailable benchmark.
To date, Tendulkar remains the only cricketer to cross 30,000 runs. While players like Kumar Sangakkara (28,016), Ricky Ponting (27,483) and Virat Kohli (27,134 till date) have come closer, however, the sheer magnitude of his achievements continues to inspire awe.