Hairline fracture keeps Tendulkar away from tri-nation series

Batting maestro Sachin Tendulkar has been virtually ruled out of the ongoing triangular one-day series in Sri Lanka due to a hairline fracture to the big toe of the right foot.

"The nature of the injury (the hairline fracture, sesamoid) was detected in the afternoon at the Hinduja Hospital after reports of a CT scan done at a local hospital came in," Tendulkar told reporters in Mumbai on Wednesday evening. "I am disappointed at missing the Sri Lankan tour," he said.

Discussing the nature of the injury, he said "I had great pain in the match against West Indies on July 4 during the Zimbabwe tour. The pain continued even in the final and after the team physiotherapist Andrew Leipus had an X-ray done on my toe, we decided to rest it for a couple of weeks."

After coming back to India the swelling subsided but the pain persisted even after putting an ice pack on it, Tendulkar said.