India’s batting spine not in good shape

MUMBAI, MARCH 9: Sachin Tendulkar zipped off to England yesterday to seek urgent medical attention for his problematic back. But Indian c...

MUMBAI, MARCH 9: Sachin Tendulkar zipped off to England yesterday to seek urgent medical attention for his problematic back. But Indian cricket fans need not press the panic buttons. The back problem is not so bad as to cause any alarm.

Tendulkar left with his wife Anjali — a doctor herself — for London, where his back will be examined by Dr Phillips, a noted back specialist. It is learnt that it was Dr Phillips who treated Ian and Greg Chappell for back problems of a similar nature.

Tendulkar endured back spasms in the course of his epic hundred in the Chennai Test against Pakistan in January. But there is no grave cause for concern over the man on whom the Indian side relies so heavily. In fact, Tendulkar was busy shooting a commercial for MRF in Mumbai last week. With the World Cup due from May 14-June 20, that is something he would not have risked if his problem was so acute.

Tendulkar is expected to return in four or five days and is, in fact, scheduled to play an exhibition game in New Delhinext week. He will be leading the Tendulkar XI against Azharuddin XI — a match organised by the Information & Broadcasting Ministry to commemorate one year of the BJP rule at the Centre as also to launch the sports channel of Doordarshan. The match will feature all the 19 Indian probables for the World Cup, with V V S Laxman, Devang Gandhi, Aashish Nehra and Saba Karim also summoned for the game.

Selection committee chairman Ajit Wadekar said he was unaware of Tendulkar’s trip to England. He said that as far his committee was concerned, Tendulkar is available for selection. Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) sources confirmed that Tendulkar will be playing in the opening match of the triangular series against Sri Lanka on March 22 at Nagpur.