A look back at Sachin's last 4 ODI centuries

He is still the most prolific batsman to have ever played one-day international cricket and over the course of his stellar career lasting around 23 years, Sachin Tendulkar made a record 49 centuries.

While he could score centuries for fun during the peak years of his career, the frequency was reduced in the final years, but, even then the last four hundreds that he scored are memorable for a number of reasons.

Two of them helped him create records that had not even been discussed till he achieved them, while two others were scored in big games in the World Cup.

Here is a look back at Tendulkar's last four centuries in ODIs.

#4 200 not out vs South Africa at Gwalior, 2010

Gwalior is a venue that has always had a reputation of being a batting paradise and Tendulkar cashed in spectacularly against one of the finest limited overs teams of the time by playing a record-breaking innings.

Playing against the likes of Dale Steyn, Charl Langeveldt and Wayne Parnell, he unfurled all the strokes that he had patented over the course of his career. No bowler escaped punishment as he hit 25 boundaries and 3 sixes during the course of is epic 147 ball effort.

He scored 200 and became the first man in history to score a double hundred in ODI cricket. It remains one of his best innings to date and considering the fact that he was only 3 months short of his 37th birthday, the innings deserves far more praise.

He helped India score a mammoth 401 in 50 overs and the hosts won the game comfortably by 153 runs in the end.

#3 120 vs England at Bengaluru, 2011 World Cup

He remains one of the most successful batsmen when it comes to World Cup tournaments and Sachin Tendulkar's last bow in the 2011 edition was no different.

In the run-fest against England at Bengaluru in the group stage game, the master decided to absolutely pummel the opposition on a batsman-friendly wicket and he did so in scintillating fashion.

He went after all the England bowlers and meted out some special treatment to their star off-spinner Graeme Swann. In an innings that spanned 115 deliveries, Tendulkar hit 10 fours and as many as 5 towering sixes to power India's innings.

He got out in 39th over for 120 but India ended up posting a mammoth 338. In a thrilling contest, England captain Andrew Strauss scored a superb 158 and the match ended in a memorable tied game.

#3 111 vs South Africa at Nagpur, 2011 World Cup

Around a year after scoring that stupendous double hundred against South Africa at Gwalior, Tendulkar tormented the same opponents again when they met in group stage game at Nagpur in the 2011 World Cup.

Against a bowling attack consisting of Dale Steyn, Morne Morkel and Jacques Kallis, Tendulkar played a savage innings and flayed those bowlers to all corners of the ground at Nagpur to put India on course for a massive score. He pulled, hooked, played sumptuous drives and lofted the spinners when he felt like.

He faced only 101 deliveries and made 111 runs, which included 8 fours and as many as 3 sixes. He got out in 40th over with India at 267 for 2 and well placed to get many more.

However, they somehow managed to collapse to be all out for 296 in the 49th over. In the end, South Africa won a close game by 3 wickets in the last over.

#4 114 vs Bangladesh at Dhaka, 2012

This was the great man's final century in ODI cricket and with it, Tendulkar finally completed the record that has been bugging for almost a year, the century of centuries.

However, it was not one of his vintage efforts and considering the fact that he was playing against Bangladesh, many may have expected him to score a bit faster than he did.

This was more of an innings centred on accumulation and Tendulkar hit only 12 fours and a solitary six during his 147 delivery stay at the crease.

He made 114 and finally reached a landmark that will take some beating in the years to come. India made 289 in their 50 overs but it proved to be inadequate as Bangladesh chased it down quite easily and won by 5 wickets.