The 37-year-old batting great, who is the most prolific run
getter in both Tests and one-day internationals and who has the most number of
centuries in both versions, will surpass former Australia captain Steve Waugh
when he plays his 169th Test.
“It has been a long journey. The 169th Test. I still remember
the first Test match that I played in Pakistan,” Tendulkar said Monday. “Very
happy that I have had the privilege of such a long journey at international
level and this was my dream. To play for India was my dream and getting to play
169 Test matches is fantastic.” Tendulkar made his international debut as a
16-year-old and has since played 168 Tests and 442 one-day internationals, just
two matches behind the most capped Sri Lankan Sanath Jayasuriya.
He has scored 13,742 Test runs, including a record 48 centuries,
and 17,598 runs in ODIs. He has also taken nearly 200 wickets in international
cricket, bowling a mixture of slow-medium, off breaks and leg breaks.
Besides Tendulkar's record, the Test match will also be crucial
for India as it must win the match to level the three-match series.
Sri Lanka won the first Test in Galle by 10 wickets, a match
that also saw offspinner Muttiah Muralitharan bow out of Test cricket with a
record haul of 800 wickets.
The second game ended a high-scoring draw on a placid Sinhalese
Sports Club pitch.
A loss in the third game at Colombo's P. Sara Oval would condemn
India to a third straight series defeat in Sri Lanka after 1-2 losses in 2001
and 2008.
“We are 1-0 down so the best we can do is level this series.
It will be a big challenge,” Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni said. “We have
to see that the result of the Test is in our favor. We will have to be the team
that takes the extra initiative because even if the Test ends in a draw Sri
Lanka win the series.” The task, however, could be more difficult with the visitors'
strike spin bowler Harbhajan Singh looking doubtful for the match because of an
injury and opener Gautam Gambhir ruled out for a second straight Test.
However, Sri Lanka is strengthened with return of seamer Lasith
Malinga after missing the second Test because of an injury.
“The motivation is still there to win the Test series, that's
the fact that we are concentrating on,” Sri Lanka captain Kumar Sangakkara
said.
