Tait racing to be fit for India tour

Shaun Tait believes he is "touch and go" to be fit for Australia's limited-overs tour of India later this month as he gradually recovers after having elbow surgery in June. Tait was originally named in Australia's ICC World Twenty20 squad but had to pull out when his progress was slower than first expected.

"I guess I'm even money [for India] but I said that about South Africa as well and that didn't work out," Tait told the Advertiser. "It's probably touch and go again. You can't rush these things, my elbow has a fair bit to do with my cricket and the way I bowl puts a fair bit of stress on it."

Tait's recovery was hindered by a secondary infection which has since cleared. "It has taken a little longer than expected but it's feeling pretty good and has improved out of sight in the past week," he said. "The pain is minimal. It just needs to get some strength in it."

Tait is preparing for a fitness test next week to determine whether he can travel to India for the series of seven ODIs and one Twenty20 match. The first game is at Bangalore in just over a fortnight, on September 29.

It would be his first taste of cricket since the World Cup triumph in April, a tournament that brought him 23 wickets at 20.3 and helped him earn the ICC Emerging Player of the Year award on Monday. Tait said the guidance of Ricky Ponting in the Caribbean was vital for his own performance.

"I went to him after a couple of disappointing games," he said. "Just one chat with Ricky helped me out for the rest of the tour. He was fantastic for me at the World Cup. He was brilliant. He knew my game really well and bowled me at the right time during games and was 100% supportive."