Tendulkar set to play at Pune

Tendulkar looks set to take on Sri Lanka again © AFP Enlarge

The Indian team's arrival in Pune minus Sachin Tendulkar was enough to send the rumour mills into a tizzy. It had been suggested that Tendulkar will not play the fourth one-day international against Sri Lanka, and even that he would not be making the trip from Mumbai to Pune. However well-informed sources told Cricinfo that there was "no truth" in these rumours, and that unless the situation changes drastically between now and Thursday, Tendulkar is very much a part of the scheme of things.

Tendulkar, along with five others, left the team at Jaipur on Monday after India sealed an emphatic win and took a 3-0 lead in the series. Soon after the victory, Yuvraj Singh, Murali Kartik, Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Ajit Agarkar and Tendulkar left the squad to return to their respective homes. The day was designated as one for rest and travel, with no practice, nets or team meetings, and considering it was the eve of Diwali day, it was only expected that some players returned home.

Rajni, Tendulkar's mother, has been ailing for a while now, and has recently returned home from the hospital. Agarkar's wife Fatima recently gave birth to a son, and therefore it is quite understandable that the two returned home. They, along with the others, are due to join the team on Wednesday, when a full practice session is planned in the morning.

There is no doubt that the team's think tank has taken into consideration the fact that Tendulkar is returning to the team after a lengthy layoff due to a troublesome tennis-elbow injury and has considered giving him a rest at some point in this seven-match series.

"We are aware of that, we have to make sure that we don't put too much pressure on him," said Greg Chappell on the eve of the third one-dayer in Jaipur. "If and when the opportunity presents itself, we will look to rest him for a game somewhere down the line." However it is extremely unlikely that the team will take the foot off the gas pedal until the series is well and truly sealed.