Sachin Tendulkar departed just six runs short his 100th international century as a shell-shocked India were instead left to bat out for a draw in the third Test against West Indies.
An expectant crowd packed the Wankhede Stadium this morning with the stage seemingly perfectly set for Tendulkar to reach the unprecedented feat in his home city of Mumbai.
But the veteran's adoring fans were left in stunned silence when, after racing to 94, he edged Ravi Rampaul to Darren Sammy at second slip.
Tendulkar's dismissal marked a bad session for the Indians as VVS Laxman and MS Dhoni also departed to leave them 376 for six at lunch.
At one stage they even looked like they might fall short of the follow-on, but an unbeaten stand of 45 between Virat Kohli and R Ashwin left them just 15 runs short of that target.
The Mumbai crowd could have been excused for wanting their team to fall short of the follow-on though, with the opportunity to see their icon return to the crease arguably the only highlight left in a match that looks doomed to a draw.
Tendulkar had begun the day 33 runs short of the remarkable feat and while he took six from the first over, he lost his overnight partner Laxman in the next.
Fidel Edwards removed Laxman with his first ball of the day, slicing a loose drive to Marlon Samuels at gully.
The focus of attention remained very much on Tendulkar though, and he looked set to oblige the waiting Indian public when he upper-cut Edwards for six to race into the nineties.
At that point Tendulkar had taken 26 runs from 18 balls this morning but with the script seemingly written, Rampaul played the role of dreamslayer as Tendulkar tried to force a back-foot drive that instead flew into the waiting hands of Sammy.
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Rampaul then squeezed a yorker into Dhoni's stumps as a now rattled India found themselves in danger of failing to avoid the follow-on at 331 for six.
Kohli steadied matters though as he reached lunch unbeaten on 33 - his highest Test score - with Ashwin alongside him on 26.
