'My hair has turned grey waiting for this moment' - Suresh Raina recalls Sachin Tendulkar's words after his 100th century

Batting legend Sachin Tendulkar is the only cricketer to have smashed as many as 100 centuries in international cricket. However, the batsman had to struggle a lot to achieve this remarkable feat as it took him a year to reach his 100th century after having 99 tons to his name. India’s former swashbuckling batsman Suresh Raina, who was the first person to congratulate Sachin for his historic milestone, described the mental state of Tendulkar while he brought in his 100th century.

Sachin scored his 100th 100 on May 16, 2012, during the Asia Cup against Bangladesh. He was involved in an 86-run partnership with Suresh Raina and brought in his century with a single off the delivery by the all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan. The former Indian captain had played a stunning knock of 114 runs that day.

Revealing the conversation he had with Sachin after the latter smashed the much-awaited hundred, Raina reckoned that Sachin told him that his hair had grown grey while waiting for this iconic moment. It was at that moment Suresh realized the mental weight the former Indian captain was carrying on his shoulders.

“After he took a single off Shakib [Al Hasan] to reach the milestone, I congratulated him saying, ‘Well done, paaji, it was due for so many months.’ He said, ‘My hair has turned grey waiting for this moment.’ That’s when I realized how much mental weight he was carrying all that while,” Suresh Raina said while speaking to ESPNcricinfo.

I had many memorable moments with Sachin Paaji: Suresh Raina

Further in the interaction, Raina reminisced the fond memories he shared with the ‘God of Cricket‘ on the match field. The 34-year-old labelled winning the 2011 World Cup as the most memorable moment of his career with Sachin Tendulkar.

“I had many memorable moments with paaji once I started playing for India. The biggest one obviously is winning the 2011 World Cup, but apart from that, winning the CB series in Australia [in 2008], the ODI and Test series in New Zealand [in 2008-09] and becoming the No. 1 Test team. I was at the other end when paaji scored his 100th international hundred,” said Raina.