Khan passes fitness test

Zaheer Khan, watched by the entire India management and an army of journalists, passed a fitness test on Thursday afternoon at the Sinhalese Sports Club and was declared available for selection as India prepare for two crucial Asia Cup encounters against Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

Khan's participation in the rest of the tournament was thrown into doubt after he injured his left hamstring while fielding during India's 12-run loss to Sri Lanka on the weekend, but his recovery has been very quick, and he bowled six overs and completed a series of fielding drills during the test.

"He is available for selection," announced Andrew Leipus, the team's physiotherapist, afterwards. "He has done everything thing that we asked him to do today and he came through with flying colours. It looked like it was a strain but the speed with which he has recovered suggests that it was actually a spasm."

But Leipus warned that there remains plenty of work to be done: "We did find a few dysfunctions around his pelvis and lower back, which is not unusual in a sportsman, but it may have contributed to this injury. We have still have a lot of work to do in terms of prevention, not just in the next few days but for the rest of his career, as there is quite a lot of instability there in his back."

Khan, who had looked tense during the tests and admitted that he had been under mental strain after his latest breakdown, was naturally delighted at the results, although he admitted that he remained anxious about the future.

"The most important thing for me now is to get through matches without breaking down and get over the mental block that I now have," he said. "It was a freak injury, but it has been, mentally, very difficult. The worst part was that I had been doing all the right things and putting in the work."