Tendulkar should go only if
100 per cent fit: Borde

Selection committee chairman Chandu Borde on Thursday declared that batting maestro Sachin Tendulkar, who will have a bone scan on his injured right toe on Friday, should join the Indian team for the three-Test series in Sri Lanka only if he was "one hundred per cent fit".

"I personally feel that Tendulkar should join the team in Lanka only after he is totally fit. If there is an element of doubt about his fitness, it is better he follows medical advice," Borde said.

"His presence in the team for the South African tour is vital and if he aggravates the toe injury, it might even hamper his career," he added.

Meanwhile, former Board of Control for Cricket in India chief Raj Singh Dungarpur said, "I know Tendulkar quite well and I am sure he will not risk going to Lanka if he thinks there is even one per cent risk of aggravating his injury.

"He is not only the best batsman in the world but has very good cricketing brains and knows exactly what steps he has to take."

Former Test stars like Polly Umrigar, Dilip Sardesai, Ravi Shastri, Ajit Wadekar and Ashok Mankad also felt the star batsman should join his teammates in Lanka only if he is a hundred per cent fit.

Tendulkar hurt his toe while playing in the triangular one-day series in Zimbabwe, during the last league match against the West Indies on July 4, and subsequently missed the triangular series in Lanka -- also involving New Zealand -- which was won by the home side.

Mail Cricket Editor