Date:24/05/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/05/24/stories/2006052410242100.htm

Sport

Tendulkar opts out of Test series

Special Correspondent

Mumbai: Sachin Tendulkar, of his own volition, has decided to miss the Test-series part of the West Indies tour. He was not a confident man when he met BCCI officials on Tuesday morning and told them straightaway that he needed more time to recover from his arm ailment.

He did not face or throw a ball before he broke the news of his inability to travel to the Caribbean to the press corps numbering over one hundred at the Mumbai Cricket Association's Bandra Kurla Complex venue.

Dressed in a blue track and full-sleeved white top, Tendulkar who spent an hour or so with the BCCI medical advisor Dr. Anant Joshi, physiotherapist Andrew Leipus, chairman of selectors Kiran More and BCCI officials Niranjan Shah and Prof. Ratnakar Shetty, said: "We have been trying very hard. Leipus was with me all the time and each session was closely monitored. There is a weakness in my arm (right) and to compete at the international level, I am still not fit.

"I leave it to the doctors to guide me in the right direction. I will go to London to meet Dr. Andrew Wallace and take his guidance.''

`Functional weakness'

Tendulkar has been under a timetable rehabilitation programme after the London-based Dr. Andrew Wallace removed a cyst and repaired biceps tendon rupture on March 27.

Explaining Tendulkar's injury status, Leipus said: "Right now, there is a functional weakness in his right arm. It's not on performance that we are not sending him to the West Indies. We do not want him to further damage his shoulder.

"We are looking at prolonging his international career at this juncture. It's a comprehensive rehabilitation process, but we cannot accelerate it. It's not that he has to train hard continuously. He has to recover and for that he needs to rest. I have been in touch with Dr. Wallace and the monitoring goes by time frame and how much healing has occurred. We are looking at his functional aspects.''

The BCCI secretary Niranjan Shah said that Tendulkar felt he was not 100 per cent fit.

"He will go to London, meet Dr. Wallace and continue rehabilitation and training. His condition will be reviewed two or three weeks later. If the selectors and the team management want his services in the West Indies, we will review his fitness and take a decision,'' he said.

Jaffer cleared

Wasim Jaffer who underwent a shin-related surgery after the Test series against England has been declared fit and available for selection.

Jaffer first batted in the nets for 18 minutes and thereafter was asked by Kiran More and Leipus to undergo a series of physical tests like running between the wickets, sprints, low and over-the-head slip catching.

"He appeared to be struggling. That's because he's suffering a bit from viral infection and the test was only on his leg. We knew that he was physically fit,'' said Leipus.