When Tendulkar, Dhoni, Sehwag & Laxman Dined On SA Bowlers With Centuries

image-lsmz3sl4Tendulkar and Sehwag shared 249 runs [X.com]

Sachin Tendulkar registered his Test century number 47 with a splendid 106 against South Africa some 14 Indian winters ago. Remarkably, the occasion also coincided with 100-plus scores for several of his teammates, including then-captain MS Dhoni.

Virender Sehwag and VVS Laxman were the other benefactors of India's run-fest at the Eden Gardens against a potent South African attack, comprising of the likes of a charged-up Dale Steyn, a raging Morne Morkel and the evergreen Jacques Kallis.


When Tendulkar and co. engulfed SA with centuries

An MS Dhoni-led Team India took the field against South Africa at the Eden Gardens on February 14, 2010, in the second Test of their two-match series. After losing the series opener by an innings and six runs, Team India bowlers enveloped their guests' first innings for 296 by the time of stumps on Day 1.

The following day, a belligerent Virender Sehwag formed forces with veteran number four Sachin Tendulkar at 82-2. The two cricketers mauled the Protea's attack together with majestic centuries in their 249-run match-defining stand. 

While Sehwag blasted 23 boundaries and two sixes in his near run-a-ball 165, Tendulkar crafted 106 runs from 206 balls to list his 47th Test century.

Their dismissals in quick succession to South African spinners were followed by a fresh run-riot orchestrated by Team India's middle-order stalwarts VVS Laxman and then-captain MS Dhoni. The two right-handers, coming together at the crease at 384-6, took India's total past the 600-run mark with identical unbeaten hundreds.

After Laxman reached 143* and Dhoni registered 132*, the latter declared the Indian innings at 643-6.

Team India bowlers, led by Harbhajan Singh and Amit Mishra, completed the demolition job over the South Africans on the final day to seal a series-levelling victory for their side.