Kumble may miss series against Zimbabwe

Leg spinner Anil Kumble is unlikely to play in the two-Test series against Zimbabwe because of shoulder pain, Board of Control for Cricket in India secretary Jaywant Lele said on Monday.

Lele said over telephone from Baroda that Kumble has not yet produced his fitness certificate to the board and in all probability will miss the first Test at Delhi (from November 18-22) and the second at Nagpur (November 25-29).

The Indian team for the first Test will be announced in Delhi on Tuesday.

Kumble complained of shoulder pain soon after the ICC knock-out tournament at Nairobi and missed most of the matches in the triangular series at Sharjah. He will consult South African orthopaedic surgeon Dr Mark Fergusson when he visits India for a medical seminar in Madras later this month.

Dr Fergusson had earlier treated Indian pace bowler Javagal Srinath for a rotator cuff problem and one-day specialist Ajay Jadeja for knee problems.

Meanwhile, Lele said the itinerary for the Australian tour of India would be finalised in the first week of December.

He said: "The chairman of the board's itinerary committee, Kamal Morarka, is abroad and will return to India in the last week of November. The meeting will be held as soon as he returns. We will let you know the venue of the meeting shortly."

Mail Cricket Editor