MUMBAI: Indian batting superstar Sachin Tendulkar looked in good form ahead of a home Test series against England as he smashed a solid 137 in domestic first-class cricket yesterday.

The 39-year-old, the world’s leading scorer in both Test and one-day cricket, cracked three sixes and 21 fours in his 136-ball knock for Mumbai on the opening day of a four-day Ranji Trophy match against Railways.

Tendulkar, whose last Ranji appearance was in 2009, put on 200 runs for the fourth wicket with Test-hopeful Ajinkya Rahane (105 not out) to help his team post 344-4 in their first innings at stumps at the Wankhede Stadium.

The four-Test series against England starts in Ahmedabad on Nov. 15.

Tendulkar struggled in the last home Test series against New Zealand in August-September when he scored just 63 runs in three innings.

Some observers suggested his reflexes were on the slide, and Tendulkar himself has hinted he may soon be on the brink of retirement.

He has been without a Test century since making 146 against South Africa in Cape Town in January 2011.

The “master blaster” has scored a world record Test (15,533) and one-day (18,426) runs and has also compiled an unprecedented 100 international centuries.

England, who also plays two Twenty20 internationals on the first leg of their tour, will go home for Christmas and return for a five-match one-day series starting on Jan. 11.

Afridi, Younus chased

In Karachi, former Pakistan captains Younus Khan and Shahid Afridi were among four senior national cricketers being chased by the country’s financial authority for unpaid taxes totaling 80 million rupees ($836,200).

A spokesman for the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) said notices had been send to Younus, Afridi, Abdul Razzaq and Umar Akmal, for unpaid tax.

“The notices have been served on these four players as they didn’t pay taxes on income they earned from commercials, their annual contracts and other sources which is around 80 million rupees,” the spokesman said.

The players had been given 15 days to pay or face penalties.

Earlier this year team mates Misbah-ul-Haq, Mohammad Hafeez, Wahab Riaz, Umar Akmal, Azhar Ali, and Taufeeq Umar had all been warned over unpaid tax, the spokesman said.

Pakistan’s tax authorities have adopted a stricter approach to collecting taxes from celebrities and athletes to meet annual tax targets.

Pakistan’s cricketers are some the highest earners in the country, with senior players receiving a base salary of about 313,000 rupees ($3200), and match payments of 375,000 rupees for test matches and 275,000 rupees for one day internationals.

The Pakistan Cricket Board is also in dispute with the tax authorities and recently had an account frozen until it paid an undisclosed fee.

A PCB official said it deducted tax on player salaries and fees at source.