Hairline fracture keeps Tendulkar away from tri-nation series

Batting maestro Sachin Tendulkar has been 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 but may join the team for the Test series, if fit.

"The nature of the injury (the hairline fracture, sesamoid) was detected in the afternoon at Hinduja Hospital after reports of a CT scan done at a local hospital came in," Tendulkar told reporters in Mumbai this evening.

"I am disappointed at missing the one day series part of the Sri Lankan tour," Tendulkar said and expressed hope that he would be back in the team for the Test series starting on August 14, if he recovers by then.

Giving details 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.

Asked whether he had a stomach upset during the final against the West Indies, Tendulkar replied in the affirmative.

During the league match when Tendulkar hit a century, he immediately heard a click sound of the bone while running between the wickets. "In fact, I told this to Rahul Dravid who was my partner in the middle. That particular night there was swelling and I experienced real pain," he said.

"However, just before the final the pain and swelling subsided and I decided to play as it was a big match," Tendulkar said adding "During the final I again experienced pain while fielding".

"When I came back to India, physiotherapist Andrew Leipus had advised me to take rest and put an ice pack on the foot for sometime till the swelling came down but the pain persisted and I was forced to go for a bone scan. The reports which I got today suggested that I have a hairline fracture and doctors have advised rest for 2-3 weeks which means that I will be missing the triangular one day series in Sri Lanka," Tendulkar said.

"I can now move around but cannot run and jump like we do in a match," he said referring to his fracture. "However, If I am fit after three weeks, I am hopeful of playing the Test series," Tendulkar said adding "It is really disappointing to miss the triangular series".

"I am desperately trying to get in touch with Leipus, coach John Wright and the Indian Cricket Board members to convey the recent developments regarding the injury," Tendulkar said.

"In fact, Dr Anant Joshi here could not detect the nature of the injury but he suggested that I go to a hospital to get a CT scan done," the 28-year-old batting maestro said.

Asked what his advice to his colleagues in Sri Lanka would be, Tendulkar said "they should simply get on with the game and perform well. I am pretty confident of them doing well in Sri Lanka and missing cricket is always disappointing for me," he added.

Meanwhile, selection committee chairman Chandu Borde told PTI that he received a phone call from Tendulkar informing him about his nonavailability for the on-going one-day series in Si Lanka.

"I tried to contact Board secretary Jaywant Lele and executive secretary Sharad Diwadkar, but they are out of town," he said.