My fear with this obsession with centuries is that it could plant the seed of self-serving cricket among young players. As it is, our system of domestic cricket tends to reward the individual run-getter over the team player, but if young players are told that hundreds count in one-day cricket, they might become poorer players. An innings of 80 from 80 balls is better than one that becomes a century from 120 balls.

Here are some numbers that are worthy of debate. In the last ten years India have played 335 matches and scored 101 centuries. It means India\'s batsmen score a century every 3.37 innings. Of these 335 matches India have won 162 and are currently placed sixth out of, effectively, eight countries. In the same period, Australia played 279 games and their batsmen scored 74 centuries, that is a century every 3.77 innings, almost 12% longer. They won 196 games and their number one slot has hardly ever been challenged. A one-day century in Australia is a nice landmark but not a revered one.

The value of Tendulkar\'s excellent innings therefore, lay more in the clever use of the middle overs and in the strong finish it provided. He only stepped towards the hundred when the more crucial objective of scoring enough runs had been achieved. It was an excellent innings because it put the team first, because Tendulkar stayed at the other end aware that Dhoni was, for the moment, the more effective player. And Dhoni acknowledged that on the penultimate ball when he ran for his life to put Tendulkar, now on 99, back on strike. It was a wonderful moment.

... contd.