The chairman of selectors denies that the master batsman declared himself fit for the West Indies tour.
MUMBAI: Kiran More, chairman of selectors, said it was too early to predict whether Sachin Tendulkar, recuperating after a shoulder surgery, will be fit to play in the Test series against the West Indies starting on May 2. He was, however, quick to add that reports submitted by the team physio, John Gloster, on Tendulkar’s progress were “positive.”
“We are scheduled to pick the squad (Test) on May 22 or 23 and we are expecting a final fitness report by May 20 or 21,” More said on Monday.
He also denied that the master batsman declared himself fit. “I spoke to Sachin. He denied having declared himself fit for the West Indies series. It’s up to John Gloster to let us know if Sachin is fit or not,” the chief selector said.
Tendulkar will also have to undergo a fitness Test before being selected. “Sachin will be provided an opportunity to prove his fitness,” More said when asked if Tendulkar will have to play a match to prove his fitness. “We are not questioning his batting ability, but his fitness will be tested,” More said. “The Cricket Board has been getting updates on Sachin’s progress every five to six days,” he added.
More said that he expected L Balaji and Ashish Nehra to be fit before the start of the 2006-07 domestic series. “Nehra has already started practising. It will be great to have eight to nine fit fast bowlers who are ready to play for India,” he said.
More tours for A team: The Board of Control for Cricket in India is striving to ensure that the India A team is also touring simultaneously when the senior Indian team is playing. “It will ensure that we have players who are playing cricket to fly in and join the senior team at a short notice, especially during the off-season,” More, who was at the Wankhede on Monday to give training to the players at the National Cricket Academy’s West Zone camp, said.
“The captain, selectors and the player himself will have confidence if he is playing in the India A team and then asked to join the senior team,” More said. “If India A play against teams like Australia, South Africa, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, it will help Indian cricket overall,” he said.
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