Sachin Tendulkar, India's star batsman, will miss the second Test against South Africa after aggravating a groin injury.

Tendulkar, who needs 172 runs to overtake West Indian Brian Lara as Test cricket's leading run-scorer, did not field for most of the final day's play in the first Test, which ended in a draw.

"Sachin will not be playing the next Test," Niranjan Shah, Indian cricket board secretary, said.

Tendulkar will need a week to recover and the selectors replaced him with Mohammad Kaif for the second Test starting in Ahmedabad on Thursday, Shah added.

Kaif, 27, played the last of his 13 Tests against the West Indies in Jamaica in June 2006 and had scored 624 runs at an average of 32.84.

Kaif, a middle-order batsman, enjoyed a successful domestic season, scoring 993 runs in 13 first-class matches at an average of 58.41.

Anil Kumble, the Indian captain, who himself missed part of the last day's play with a groin strain, had earlier told reporters that Tendulkar had aggravated the groin injury he suffered on the recent Australian tour, but was hopeful he would play in the second Test.

John Gloster, the former Indian physiotherapist, had previously recommended a three-week rest for Tendulkar after the Australia tour ended on March 4, but the batsman, who turns 35 next month, declared himself fit for the South Africa series.

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