Tendulkar denies report that he's fit for West Indies tour

Conflicting reports on Sachin Tendulkar's fitness have caused a stir as India prepare to leave for a five-ODI four-Test tour of the West Indies. On Sunday agencies reported that Tendulkar had declared himself fit, but a subsequent denial has confused matters. "I have not spoken to either the print or electronic media about my fitness," Tendulkar is quoted as saying by the Times of India.

On Sunday agencies quoted Tendulkar, who was visiting a temple in Mangalore, as saying, "I am fit now, I am looking forward to the West Indies tour." But Tendulkar has denied this, and also reportedly said, "I hope that people do sic [not] take notice of what is shown or reported irresponsibly. It's totally unnecessary and stirs up controversies."

To add to the mix Niranjan Shah, the honorary secretary of the BCCI, has said, "the next assessment of Tendulkar's fitness is scheduled for 10 May." Tendulkar, who underwent a shoulder surgery last month, is currently training in the gym and doing physiotherapy exercises, but had not begun onfield training as yet.

John Gloster, the board's physiotherapist, has been monitoring Tendulkar's progress, and will be conducting his next examination in Mumbai on May 10. Earlier Tendulkar had ruled himself out of the ODI series in the Caribbean, but hoped to be fit for the Test matches, which begin on June 2.