Scan report to decide Sehwag's county future

Virender Sehwag is likely to find out later today if his back injury is serious enough to cut short his first season in county cricket. According to a report in The Times of India, the Leicestershire county officials are awaiting the results of a medical scan, which will be available today, before deciding if a replacement is required.

The report mentioned Matthew Nicholson, a fast bowler from Australia, and West Indian batsmen Chris Gayle and Ramnaresh Sarwan as possible replacements for Sehwag. An official stated: "We're contemplating a few options but would ideally want Sehwag to continue playing for us."

Meanwhile, Kevin Hills, Leicestershire's general manager, dismissed reports that county officials were unhappy with Sehwag's endorsement commitments, which required him to go off on media assignments. "We're very happy with Sehwag. His performance has been fine, if not great, but that's OK with us. As far as these [photograph] shoots are concerned we were aware of them and never minded Sehwag's involvement." Sehwag was in India over the weekend for a shoot.

Though Sehwag has had a mixed county season so far, his presence attracted the Asian community to Leicestershire's matches. He averages nearly 48 in the four-day Frizzell County Championship, inclusive of two centuries, but his performances in the limited-overs matches have been rather more ordinary: an average of 24.66 in the Cheltenham & Gloucester Trophy, and 33.28 in the National League. Sehwag was omitted from the Leicestershire line-up for the four-day match against Sussex last week, apparently so that he could be fresh for the Twenty20 semi-final. The move didn't pay off, though: Sehwag lasted all of three balls in the semis, scoring 5 before being nailed by Waqar Younis. Leicestershire lost the match by seven wickets.