Tendulkar, Kumble report fit

The beleaguered Indian cricket team received a shot in the arm on Tuesday with two of its star performers -- Sachin Tendulkar and Anil Kumble -- reporting fit for the tour to South Africa, starting later this month.

Board of Control for Cricket in India secretary Jaywant Lele said over phone from Baroda that both Tendulkar and Kumble informed him that they are fit and would be sending their fitness certificates soon.

Lele said Tendulkar spoke to him on Tuesday morning and said he is feeling comfortable after wearing the new inner soles in his boots to protect his injured right toe, and there is no pain whatsoever.

Tendulkar, who sustained the toe injury on the Zimbabwe tour, acquired the inner soles from South Africa last week after consulting arthroscopic surgeon Dr Mark Fergusson there.

"Kumble too has disclosed that he is completely fit and has no problem with his shoulder which was operated upon in January. I am expecting their fitness certificates within a day or two," Lele added.

Lele said there is no intimation yet from the V V S Laxman, who skipped the Test series in Sri Lanka due to a knee problem and went to Australia for an operation.

Lele was also unaware about medium pacer Zaheer Khan's fitness. Zaheer had a shin problem during the Test series in Sri Lanka which worsened during the third Test in Colombo.

Pacemen Javagal Srinath and Ashish Nehra, who too were nursing injuries, are also expected to be fit in the next few days.

Meanwhile, BCCI sources in Bombay said Tendulkar is having light work-outs, at the MIG Club at Bandra in north-west Bombay, since yesterday.

"In fact, he ran two rounds of the ground yesterday and three today and looked pretty comfortable," the sources said.

"Sports Medicine expert Dr Anant Joshi was also present during the work-out and expressed satisfaction with the recovery made by the star batsman so far," the sources added.

Mail Cricket Editor