India were struggling at 32/2 in their second innings against Zimbabwe in the second Test match played at Harare Sports Club. The visitors had lost their makeshift opening batsman Sameer Dighe (4) and their star batsman VVS Laxman (20) and were still trailing behind by 46 runs. India could have plummeted into deeper trouble at that stage with the Zimbabwe bowlers on an all out attack.

It was going to be an uphill ride for the Indian team. The little master Sachin Tendulkar walked into the middle to join Shiv Sunder Das. They had a job to do, build up a useful partnership and steady the Indian cause. The two diminutive players rose to the occasion and played with a brave heart. Das had to summon all his powers of concentration to play a long innings. Tendulkar had to curb his attacking instincts to score runs as well as guard his wicket.

Zimbabwe bowlers led by their captain Heath Streak had come out with a clear plan: dry up the runs and put pressure on the batsmen to make mistakes. Das and Tendulkar didn't fall for it. They let the balls go through to the keeper and whenever the bowler erred in line and length, did not hesitate to punish.

Das brought up the fifty partnership in the 29th over when he drove Blignaut through extra cover and ran three for it. The 50 runs were scored by the two batsmen in 16.5 overs. Runs did not flow in a flurry; it came in singles and twos. The little men kept running between the wickets, accumulating runs, the key to any good partnership.

The strokeplay was not being discounted, as Tendulkar broke loose now and then to dispatch boundaries. The harmless leg spin of Brian Murphy was targeted initially as the two batsmen went on a leather hunt. Their association in the middle fetched the only century partnership of the Test match. Das brought up the century partnership in the 50th over by cracking a cover drive for four. It took the two batsmen 37 overs to bring up the landmark. The second fifty came in at a faster rate, taking 13.1 overs.

Tendulkar and Das put together 118 runs off 39.5 overs for the third wicket. Tendulkar made 69 off just 135 balls with the help of nine glorious boundaries. Das went on to make 70 valuable runs. By the time Tendulkar got out India had got over the deficit and were ahead by 72 runs. India failed to capitalize on the sound partnership provided by these two fighters. Tendulkar was guilty of playing a rash stroke and got out when Grant Flower at point took a good catch off the bowling of Heath Streak. Though India went on to lose the Test by four wickets, in the context of the match the partnership between Das and Tendulkar assumes great importance for the sheer volume of runs scored on a pitch where bowlers got a better deal from it.