After 15 years in international cricket and having overcome serious toe, ankle, back and elbow injuries, batting maestro Sachin Tendulkar Friday equalled Sunil Gavaskar's world record of 34 centuries - and looks good for many more.

By the end of the second day's play in the first Test against Bangladesh at Dhaka, the 31-year-old has amassed 9,754 runs at 57.04 in 192 innings.

He is now just 246 short of becoming only the second Indian after Gavaskar to reach the 10,000-run landmark and the fifth overall.

He has also captured 35 Test wickets, with 3/10 being his best figures.

The Mumbai star has also notched 38 half-centuries besides holding 74 catches. His highest score is an unbeaten 251 against Australia at Sydney on the 2003-2004 tour.

Tendulkar reached the magic 34th century when he turned the second ball of the 58th over, bowled by Bangladesh's Tapash Baisya, to mid-on for a single.

Gavaskar, like the sparse crowd, stood up and applauded from the television commentators' box at the Bangabandhu National Stadium.

With his 34th hundred - the first in his second Test against Bangladesh - Tendulkar has become only the third player in the 127-year Test history to score centuries against all the other nine Test-playing nations.

South Africa's Gary Kirsten and former Australia captain Steve Waugh are the other two who scored centuries against nine Test countries.

Since making his Test debut at the age of 16 years and 205 days against Pakistan in 1989, much has changed for Tendulkar, but only in appearance and the way he bats. While he had become more destructive over the years he is now more cautious in his shot selection.

It is a great compliment to Tendulkar's skill and down-to-earth disposition that he is held in great awe, not only by his teammates but by his opponents as well, for his deeds with his bat.

Former Delhi captain K.P. Bhaskar, whom Tendulkar beat for the India team berth in 1989, today says it was "good that I did not make it" - a great compliment for Tendulkar the batsman and the man.

"I was competing with him for a place in the team and was eventually named a stand-by for that tour," Bhaskar told IANS.

"It's good that I did not make it - because now I will be able to tell my grandchildren that I once competed with Sachin," he said.

"His maturity level was very high and he was very sincere and never missed a practice session," recalled Ajay Sharma, who was Tendulkar's roommate for three of the four Tests on the 1989 tour of Pakistan.

Today, Tendulkar the man remains the same - down-to-earth, reclusive, shy, humble - but his records have swelled beyond anyone's imagination.

And he looks good many more centuries - and is expected to surpass Australian Allan Border's world-record Test tally of 11,174 runs and Steve Waugh's record of 168 Tests.

--Indo-Asian News Service