To be a stalwart of the game, there are a few facets of cricket which must be achieved. However, it can be a challenge at times and this challenge can take years for you to complete. One of those trickiest challenges that must be completed by almost every cricketer unless you are a number 10 or 11 batsman, is your maiden century. A few players notch it up on their very debut and ebb away to never-ending oblivion while others take ages to chronicle the magic figure but as soon as they have pressed their feet on the gas, the magic starts unfolding.
We will take a look at five Indian cricketers who took the longest to register their international centuries despite being phenomenal monikers of the gentleman’s sport.
- Sunil Gavaskar – 100 innings
The Indian batting stalwart was one of the most lethal openers that the game has ever witnessed. Despite, spasmodic promises of phenomenal batting, he had to wait for 100 innings in ODI’s to score his first century. This came against a formidable Black Caps side.
In a comfortable run-chase, Gavaskar managed to fire at will against the hapless Kiwi bowlers as he ratcheted up 103 runs from only 88 deliveries. He clobbered 10 boundaries and 3 sixes to usher India past the finishing line.
- Sachin Tendulkar – 75 innings
One of India’s best of all time, the Little Master who has played several match-defining innings until the end of his illustrious career had to exhibit incredulous patience to notch up his maiden ODI ton. In a thrilling low-scoring encounter, Sachin was India’s solitary hope as he scored 110 from 130 deliveries.
Australia failed miserably in the game as Manoj Prabhakar and Rajesh Chauhan bundled them up for a paltry 2015.
- Yuvraj Singh – 60 innings
One of the most sublime middle-order batsmen of India, Yuvraj played out his genius on the field in bits and scraps. However, the telling blow from his bat that culminated into a blistering century came against minnows Bangladesh.
Batting first, India racked up 276 which was mainly spearheaded by Yuvi. However, the Bangladeshi batting line up crumbled like a house of cards as Zaheer Khan and Ajit Agarkar shared 7 wickets between them. Hammering 102 from 85 deliveries, Yuvraj went on to clobber 9 boundaries and 4 sixes.
- Krishnamachari Srikkanth – 58 innings
Ushering the way for hard-hitting in the history of Indian cricket, Kris Srikkanth set a personal benchmark that used to be the touchstone for Indian batsmen in terms of aggression.
Despite being a hard hitter of the ball, Srikkanth had to wait for 58 innings to register his first century and it came against mighty Australia.
He managed to score 102 before falling prey to the brilliant Aussie bowling.
- Mohinder Amarnath – 53 innings
A bowling line up which witnessed the best of the world was weathered by one of India’s finest all-rounder and was traded for a substantial century that went on to become his maiden ODI ton.
Amarnath scored his first century against the mighty Caribbean as his exact figure of a hundred came with the brilliance of a few peachy cricketing shots.
