2009–2010
In early 2009, India revisited Sri Lanka for five ODIs, as the
Pakistan series had been cancelled due to the security situation in
Pakistan and the attacks in Mumbai. Tendulkar failed to reach double
figures in any inning, before becoming injured.
India's next assignment was an away series against New Zealand,
consisting of three Tests and five ODIs. In the ODI series, Tendulkar
made a 163 not out in the third match, an innings ended by stomach
cramps that forced him to retire hurt. India made 392 and won easily and
won the series 3–1. Tendulkar made 160 in the first test, his 42nd Test
century, and India won. He made 49 and 64 in the second test and 62 and
9 in the third, in which India were prevented from winning by rain on
the last day. India won the series 1–0.
Tendulkar rested himself for the ODI tour of West Indies, but was
back for the Compaq Cup (Tri Series) between India, SL and New Zealand
in early September 2009. He made 46 and 27 in the league matches before
notching up 138 in the final, as India made 319 and won by 46 runs. This
was Tendulkar's 6th century in ODI finals and his third consecutive
score of over 50 in such finals. India has won all six times that
Tendulkar has made a hundred in an ODI final.
Tendulkar played just one innings in the ICC Champions trophy in
South Africa, scoring 8 against Pakistan as India lost. The next match
against Australia was washed out and he was out with food poisoning in
the third match against the West Indies, as India were eliminated.
Australia returned for a seven-match ODI series in India in October,
and Tendulkar made 14, 4, 32 and 40 in the first four games. In the
fifth match, with the series tied at 2–2, Australia amassed 350/4 in 50
overs. Tendulkar made his 45th ODI hundred, a 175 off 141 balls. Just
when it seemed that he would steer India to the large victory target, he
paddle-scooped debutant bowler Clint McKay
straight to short fine leg, with India needing 19 from 18 balls with
four wickets left. The Indian tail collapsed, and they lost by 3 runs,
being all out for 347. During this match, Tendulkar also became the
first player to reach 17,000 ODI runs, and achieved his personal best
against Australia, as well as the third highest score in a defeat.
In the ODIs against Sri Lanka in 2009–10, Tendulkar scored 69, 43, 96
not out and 8, as India won 3–1.In the Test Series, he scored a 100 no
out in the first test, which was drawn, and 40 in the second and 53 in
the third test as India clinched innings victory in both tests. India
won the series 2–0.[93]
Sachin rested himself for the ODI tri-series in Bangladesh in 2010.
In the Tests against Bangladesh, he made 105 not out and 16 in the first
test, and 143 in the second. India won 2–0.
In the 2-Test Series against South Africa,
Tendulkar made seven and 100 in the first test and 106 in the first
innings of the second test. In the course of the second 100 (his 47th
Test Hundred) he achieved several landmarks, in that he had scored four
hundreds in his last four matches and that the hundred against South
Africa in the first Test was the first at home against South Africa. The
century was also his hundredth score over 50 in International Test
cricket, moving him to 92 international hundreds (Tests and ODIs
combined). In the second match of the subsequent ODI series, Tendulkar
scored 200 not out to become the world's first person to score a double
century in ODI cricket.[94]
ODI and Test Series against England
Tendulkar was again out due to injury from the first three ODIs of a
7-match ODI series at home against England, but he made 11 in the fourth
ODI and 50 in the fifth, before the ODI series was called off due to
the Mumbai terror attacks, the scoreline being 5–0 to India.
England returned for a 2-match test series in December 2008, and in
the first test in Chennai, chasing 387 for victory, Tendulkar made 103
not out in a 163-run unbroken fifth wicket stand with Yuvraj Singh. This
was his third century in a fourth match innings, and the first which
resulted in a win. This was redemption for the Chennai Test of 1999 when
chasing 271 against Pakistan, Sachin had made 136 with severe back pain
and was out 17 runs short of the target, precipitating a collapse and a
loss by 12 runs. He dedicated this century to the victims of the Mumbai
terror attacks. Tendulkar failed in both innings in the second test,
India won the series 1–0.
Return to form and breaking the record
In the following ODI series against Sri Lanka, Tendulkar was sidelined
due to injury. However, during the following Australia tour of India, he
returned to fitness and form, scoring 13 and 49 in the first test
before making 88 in the first innings of the second test, thus breaking
the record for most number of Test runs held by Brian Lara. He also
reached the 12,000 run mark when he was on 61. He made a fifty in the
third test and 109 in the fourth, as India won the series 2–0 and
regained the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
Sri Lanka Series
Before the touring Sri Lanka for three Test
in July 2008, Tendulkar needed just 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 just 95 runs. India lost the series and his average
of 15.83 was his worst in a Test series with at least three matches
Home series against South Africa
South Africa toured in March and April 2008 for a three-Test series. Tendulkar scored a five-ball duck in his only innings of the series;[90]
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 IPL.[91]
2007/08 tour of Australia
In the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, 2007–08,
Tendulkar showed exceptional form, becoming the leading run scorer with
493 runs in four Tests, despite consistently failing in the second
innings. Sachin scored 62 runs in the first innings of the first Test at
the MCG in Melbourne, but couldn't prevent a heavy 337-run win for Australia. In the controversial New Years Test at Sydney, Tendulkar scored an unbeaten 154 as India lost the Test. This was his third century at the SCG, earning him an average of 221.33 at the ground. In the third Test at the WACA cricket ground in Perth,
Sachin was instrumental in India's first innings score of 330, scoring a
well compiled 71, as India went on to record a historic triumph at the
WACA. In the fourth Test at the Adelaide Oval, which ended in a draw, he scored 153 in the first innings, involving in a crucial 126 run stand with V.V.S. Laxman for the fifth wicket to lead India to a score of 282 for 5 from 156 for 4. He secured the Player of the Match award.
In the One-Day International Commonwealth Bank Tri-Series involving
Sri Lanka and Australia, Tendulkar became the first and only batsman to
complete 16,000 runs in ODIs. He achieved this feat against Sri Lanka on
5 February 2008 at the Gabba in Brisbane.
He started the CB series well notching up scores of 10, 35, 44 and 32,
but could not convert the starts into bigger scores. His form dipped a
bit in the middle of the tournament, but Tendulkar came back strongly in
India's must-win game against Sri Lanka at the Bellerive Ovalin Hobart, scoring 63 off 54 balls. He finished the series with a match winning 117 not out off 120 balls in the first final,[88] and 91 runs in the second final.[89]
Return to old form and consistency
In the subsequent series against Bangladesh, Tendulkar returned to
his opening slot and was Man of the Series. He continued by scoring two
consecutive scores of over 90 in the Future Cup against South Africa. He
was the leading run scorer and was adjudged the Man of the Series.[84]
On the second day of the Nottingham Test (28 July 2007) Tendulkar became the third cricketer to complete 11,000 Test runs.[85] In the subsequent One day series against England, Tendulkar was the leading run scorer from India[86]
with an average of 53.42. In the ODI Series against Australia in
October 2007 Tendulkar was the leading Indian run scorer with 278 runs.[87]
Tendulkar was dismissed seven times in 2007 between 90 and 100,
including three times at 99, leading some to suggest that he struggles
to cope with nerves in this phase of his innings. Tendulkar has got out
23 times between 90 and 100 in his international career.[clarification needed] On 8 November 2007 he got out on 99 against Pakistan in an ODI at Mohali to the bowling of Umar Gul.
In the fourth ODI, he got out on 97 (off 102 balls with 16 fours) after
dragging a delivery from Gul on to his stumps, falling short 
