Tendulkar's date with record number of runs in Test cricket

By John Cheeran
On the eve of India's first Test against Sri Lanka the hype was on Sachin Tendulkar's date with another record, the biggest of them all in Mumbai batsman's refulgent career, the maximum number of runs in Test cricket.
Now that India has completed its first innings and began to follow on, Tendulkar's date with Brian Lara remains remote at least in this Test.
Or I'm mistaken yet again.
Tendulkar made 27 in the first innings and the follow on has presented the batting maestro another opportunity to overtake Lara as the highest run getter in Tests here and now.
The pathetic Indian batting, except by VVS Laxman, in the first innings should put Tendulkar's record hunt in perspective. What profits Indian cricket when a batsman runs after runs with no significant consequence for his team in the process?
I know that none, well, no bowler that is, will be able to stop Tendulkar from becoming the leading run getter in Tests. He will do it in this series, or in the next one.
But if Tendulkar could do it in the second innings of the current Test, at least one of his numerous records will have some meaning. At least it can avoid an innings defeat for India.