The Hindu : Sport / Cricket : I will start using lighter bat: Tendulkar

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Sep 30, 2004

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Sport - Cricket

I will start using lighter bat: Tendulkar

By Our Special Correspondent

MUMBAI, SEPT. 29. The Australians estimate Sachin Tendulkar so highly that coach John Buchanan said he would be his first pick if he's ready to play.

"Yes, I would pick him even if he's not played for six weeks. Yes, certainly. He's a quality player. He's an important cog in the Indian team's make up.

"We will expect him to play and that's how we would prepare for the first Test,'' said Buchanan after the Australian team's final practice session at the Brabourne Stadium here on Wednesday.

Some three hours before Buchanan made that remark, Tendulkar had said: "I have not practised for six weeks, so there has been a muscle loss. I want to get back into action, but this is an injury that takes time to settle and I am just consulting the doctors.

"There's not enough strength in the elbow muscle. So it will take time to build some muscle. I will start preparing step by step.

"I cannot go and practice for two hours straightaway. I will start playing with a lighter bat whenever it's possible.''

When asked about the forthcoming series, Tendulkar said: "The Indian team has some big names and they have performed well in the past. Every team goes through ups and downs. We just need to pull up our socks and produce better cricket.

"I am sure about the abilities of the players. All they need to do is to turn it around playing good cricket. We have played well against Australia in the past. `'

Good facilities

Talking about the facilities at the Brabourne stadium, Buchanan said they were good. He added that the players had got a chance to get used to the heat and expected the three-day game against Mumbai to provide another platform for the players to prepare themselves for the Test series.

The Australian coach said that the overall fitness of the players was good.

"We will manage them with the help of the support staff. We are very close to getting the selection of the team right for the first Test. We are not only looking at the batting order, but also the bowling attack that will complement it.

Buchanan said that a change would be made in the slip cordon. "Certainly the skills of the players will go in there and that's a combination we are working on pretty quickly.''

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