Editing Sachin Tendulkar (section)

==== 2008: Return to Tests and breaking Brian Lara's record ====
South Africa toured in [[South African cricket team in India in 2007–08|March and April 2008]] for a three-Test series. Tendulkar scored a five-ball duck in his only innings of the series;<ref>{{cite web |url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/158/158573.html |title=f50749 t1870 India v South Africa: South Africa in India 2007/08 (1st Test) |website=CricketArchive |access-date=3 April 2011 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110719014537/http://www.cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/158/158573.html |archive-date=19 July 2011 }}</ref> he sustained a groin strain in the match and as a result was forced not only to miss the second and third Tests, but also the tri-series involving Bangladesh, the [[2008 Asia Cup]], and the first half of the inaugural season of the [[Indian Premier League|IPL]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/kitplycup/content/story/352857.html |title=Tendulkar to miss Bangladesh tri-series and Asia Cup |work=Cricinfo |date=29 May 2008 |access-date=3 April 2011 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121112011057/http://www.espncricinfo.com/kitplycup/content/story/352857.html |archive-date=12 November 2012 }}</ref>

Before the [[Indian cricket team in Sri Lanka in 2008|Indian cricket team's tour of Sri Lanka]] in July 2008, Tendulkar needed 177 runs to go past Brian Lara's record of Test 11,953 runs. However, he failed in all six innings, scoring a total of 95 runs. India lost the series and his average of 15.83 was his worst in a Test series with at least three matches.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/player/35320.html?class=1;filter=advanced;orderby=batting_average;orderbyad=reverse;template=results;type=batting;view=series |title=Statistics / Statsguru / SR Tendulkar / Test matches: Series average |work=ESPNcricinfo |access-date=17 August 2011 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121005083659/http://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/player/35320.html?class=1%3Bfilter%3Dadvanced%3Borderby%3Dbatting_average%3Borderbyad%3Dreverse%3Btemplate%3Dresults%3Btype%3Dbatting%3Bview%3Dseries |archive-date=5 October 2012 }}</ref>

In the following ODI series against Sri Lanka, Tendulkar was sidelined due to injury.<ref>{{cite web |last=Alter |first=Jamie |date=19 August 2008 |title=India need to fix opening problem |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/india-need-to-fix-opening-problem-365485 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140207025529/http://www.espncricinfo.com/slvind/content/story/365485.html |archive-date=7 February 2014 |access-date=29 March 2014 |work=ESPNcricinfo |location=Dambulla}}</ref> However, during the following Australia tour of India, he returned to fitness and form, scoring 13 and 49 in the first Test<ref>{{cite web|title=1st Test: India v Australia at Bangalore, Oct 9–13, 2008 {{pipe}} Cricket Scorecard {{pipe}} ESPNcricinfo |url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/indvaus2008/engine/match/345669.html |work=ESPNcricinfo |access-date=21 December 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140313013915/http://www.espncricinfo.com/indvaus2008/engine/match/345669.html |archive-date=13 March 2014 }}</ref> before making 88 in the first innings of the second Test, breaking the record for most Test runs held by Brian Lara. He also reached the 12,000-run mark when he was on 61.<ref>{{cite news|title=Sachin reaches 12000 runs and breaks Lara's Record|url=https://www.cricbuzz.com/?utm_source=gocricket&utm_medium=webredirect&utm_campaign=timesinternet&referral=PM|archive-url=https://archive.today/20131221063631/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2008-10-17/top-stories/27943427_1_test-cricket-formidable-english-attack-sachin-tendulkar|archive-date=21 December 2013|newspaper=[[The Times of India]]|date=17 October 2008|url-status=live|access-date=21 December 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=12,000 and counting, but he isn't just about numbers |url=http://archive.indianexpress.com/news/12000-and-counting-but-he-isn-t-just-about-numbers/374784/0 |access-date=29 March 2014 |first=Kunal |last=Pradhan |date=18 October 2008 |newspaper=[[The Indian Express]] |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140329215819/http://archive.indianexpress.com/news/12000-and-counting-but-he-isn-t-just-about-numbers/374784/0 |archive-date=29 March 2014 }}</ref> He described the achievement as the biggest in 19 years of his career on the day he achieved the record.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.hindu.com/2008/10/18/stories/2008101857830100.htm |title=Tendulkar scales another peak |date=18 October 2008 |newspaper=[[The Hindu]] |access-date=18 October 2008 |location=Chennai, India |quote="It is definitely the biggest achievement in 19 years of my career," the 35-year-old said ... |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081020224212/http://www.hindu.com/2008/10/18/stories/2008101857830100.htm |archive-date=20 October 2008 }}</ref> He made a fifty in the third Test<ref>{{cite web |last=Coverdale |first=Brydon |date=29 October 2008 |title=Gambhir century sets India on course |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/australia-tour-of-india-2008-09-345666/india-vs-australia-3rd-test-345671/match-report-1 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140122123827/http://www.espncricinfo.com/indvaus2008/content/story/375773.html |archive-date=22 January 2014 |access-date=29 March 2014 |work=ESPNcricinfo}}</ref> and 109 in the fourth, as India won the series 2–0 and regained the Border–Gavaskar Trophy.<ref>{{cite web|title=India reclaim the Border–Gavaskar Trophy |url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/indvaus2008/content/story/377631.html |first=Jamie |last=Alter |work=Cricinfo |date=10 November 2008 |access-date=29 March 2014 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140621133420/http://www.espncricinfo.com/indvaus2008/content/story/377631.html |archive-date=21 June 2014 }}</ref>