OTD: Sachin Tendulkar records 30,000 runs in international cricket

On this day in 2009, Sachin Tendulkar became the first cricketer to surpass 30,000 international runs during a Test match against Sri Lanka in Ahmedabad.

On this day in 2009, Sachin Tendulkar added yet another milestone to his illustrious career. During the first Test between India and Sri Lanka in Ahmedabad, Tendulkar became the first cricketer in history to surpass 30,000 international runs. The feat was achieved when Tendulkar reached 35 in India's second innings, clipping a delivery from Chanaka Welegedara to deep square leg for a single.

The historic moment

Sachin Tendulkar reached the landmark of 30,000 international runs, combining his runs from Tests, ODIs and a solitary T20I appearance. (Reuters Photo)

The Test itself was a run-fest on a flat Motera pitch. India batted first, amassing 426 runs with contributions from Rahul Dravid (177) and MS Dhoni (110). Sri Lanka responded emphatically with a colossal 760 for 7 declared, led by Mahela Jayawardene’s marathon 275 and centuries by Tillakaratne Dilshan (112) and Prasanna Jayawardene (154 not out). India faced the daunting task of batting out the final day to save the match. Amidst this scenario, Tendulkar played a crucial innings.

Tendulkar reached this landmark, combining his runs from Tests, ODIs and a solitary T20I appearance. His tally at the time included 12,777 Test runs, 17,178 ODI runs and 10 T20I runs. Later in the innings, he went on to notch up his 43rd Test century, staying unbeaten at 100 as the match ended in a draw.

Stellar record

To date, Tendulkar remains the only cricketer to cross 30,000 runs. While players like Kumar Sangakkara (28,016), Ricky Ponting (27,483) and Virat Kohli (27,134 till date) have come closer, however, the sheer magnitude of his achievements continues to inspire awe.