On October 17, 2008, Sachin Tendulkar achieved a milestone that had been waiting nearly 19 years in the making. Playing against Australia in the second Test at Mohali, he surpassed Brian Lara’s record of 11,953 Test runs to become the highest run-scorer in the history of the format.

Sachin needed just 15 runs to go past Lara. He reached the landmark after tea, guiding a delivery from Australian debutant Peter Siddle towards third man and running three. The crowd erupted, fireworks lit up the ground, and Australian players came forward to congratulate him.

For Indian fans, it was a moment to savour. Sachin had made his Test debut against Pakistan in November 1989 as a 16-year-old. Almost 19 years later, he had climbed to the top of Test cricket’s run-scoring list.

Sachin and Ganguly rescued India

The day was not only about the record. India had lost quick wickets after a strong start, slipping to 163/4. Gautam Gambhir scored 67, Virender Sehwag made 35 and Rahul Dravid contributed 39 before Australia fought back.

Sachin joined Sourav Ganguly, and the two added 142 runs for the fifth wicket to steady India’s innings. Tendulkar eventually fell for 88 off 111 balls, including 10 boundaries, but he had already given the home crowd a moment they would never forget.

India finished the opening day at 311/5, with Ganguly unbeaten on 54. They went on to score 469 and won the Test by 320 runs, with MS Dhoni named Player of the Match.

A record that still belongs to Sachin

Eighteen years later, Tendulkar’s Test record remains intact. He finished his career with 15,921 Test runs in 200 matches, including 51 centuries. He also holds the ODI record with 18,426 runs in 463 matches.

His achievements went far beyond those numbers. Sachin became the first player to score 100 international centuries, with 51 in Tests and 49 in ODIs. He was also the first batter to score a double century in men’s ODI cricket, making an unbeaten 200 against South Africa in 2010.

And perhaps the biggest team achievement came in 2011, when he finally lifted the Cricket World Cup with India on home soil. After coming close in previous editions, Sachin got the moment he had waited for throughout his career.

His international career ended in November 2013, but the records he left behind continue to define an era. On October 17, 2008, it took just three runs to pass Brian Lara. Eighteen years on, Sachin remains the leading run-scorer in Test cricket — a reminder of the remarkable consistency that made him one of the game's greatest batters.