Tendulkar's fitness test confirmed for May 23

Sachin Tendulkar is certain to undergo a fitness test on May 23, Niranjan Shah, secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), confirmed on Thursday. The Indian squad for the four Tests against West Indies will be announced the next day.

Reluctant to comment on his possible selection, Tendulkar told AFP, "At this moment the goal is to get fit as early as possible. That is what I was targeting for so many days."

Tendulkar underwent a satisfying net session at the MRF Pace Foundation in Chennai and also spent 90 minutes in the gymnasium, under the inspection of Ramji Srinivasan, the fitness trainer, Andrew Leipus, the former India team physio, and TA Sekar, the head coach. Leipus will take the final decision on Tendulkar's fitness and submit a detailed report to the BCCI before the squad is announced.

"I have been progressing well since May 15. Ramji Srinivasan and Andrew Leipus have really worked hard with me," he said, acknowledging the efforts put in by the two to get him back in shape. "They introduced several exercises which helped me develop strength, obviously not to the level of competing right now. But it is getting better day by day."

Leipus hinted at the perils of Tendulkar over-exerting himself. "He is finding it comfortable here and is very cautious about the whole approach,'' Leipus told The Indian Express. "We had decided that he should take it really easy. For the kind of strain that he's gone through he shouldn't really be stretching himself too much.''

Srinivasan highlighted Tendulkar's overall approach and commitment to regaining fitness. "The focus he has on keeping himself fit and going is just unbelievable. He is going through routine sessions of physiotherapy, shoulder exercises, tubing and scapula stability exercises,'' he said.

Tendulkar will also be going to London to meet Andrew Wallace, the doctor who operated on his shoulder. "He knows what has been done inside the body. Whether I am going [to the West Indies] or not, I will still meet him and figure out how I am progressing."