Pain-killer

It8217;s only fitting that Sachin Tendulkar returns to Test cricket at the VCA Stadium, one of his happier hunting grounds over the years. ...

It8217;s only fitting that Sachin Tendulkar returns to Test cricket at the VCA Stadium, one of his happier hunting grounds over the years. It is one of the many across the globe where the maestro has ruled, but his record here is especially awesome: an aggregate of 625 runs from four games at an average of 156 with three hundreds and a fifty.

But the champion batsman did not read too much into his phenomenal record at the VCA ground, when speaking to reporters here. 8216;8216;It8217;s all gone into the history books. I will start from zero,8217;8217; he said.

Whatever he says though, the loudest cheer of the day from a strong crowd thronging the Sunday morning practice session was reserved for the man very likely to make a comeback to international cricket after three-odd months. From the moment he stepped on to the ground till he finished his 25-minute batting stint 8212; using a bat close to his original 8212; he was cheered on.

On his part, Tendulkar had his first full-fledged net session 8216;8216;without pain8217;8217;. 8216;8216;There8217;s no pain in the elbow but a bit of stiffness is there. That8217;s going to take some time to go away. Once I have loosened up all the muscles, it8217;ll be fine. I have already taken a couple of injections. It seems to have worked,8217;8217; he said.

Tendulkar was enthusiastic during the fielding drills, then chatting with batting consultant Sunil Gavaskar, and said that his body has 8216;8216;responded quite nicely8217;8217; to the 8216;8216;good workout8217;8217;.

The most important thing for the master batsman was that he spent playing at least 450 balls at the nets, which amounted to around three-four hours in the middle. Also, Tendulkar played Agarkar with ease suggesting that the wiry paceman has been excused for hitting the batsman at training in Holland, which led to the problem in the first place.

8216;8216;I have gone through this, so I am pretty confident that I will be happy to go through and play a five-six hour-long innings. The idea is to feel happy at the end of the day8217;s play and that8217;s what I will be trying to do,8217;8217; Tendulkar said.

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Disagreeing that he might have rushed back into the game, Tendulkar, however, said, 8216;8216;It8217;s obviously going to take some time. It8217;s something that8217;s not going to get better overnight. After I spend some time in the middle, muscles which are developed because of batting will get strengthened.8217;8217;

But, as a parting shot, he promised: 8216;8216;Even if it hurts, I will go through with it.8217;8217;