The Hindu : Sport : It went off well: Tendulkar

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, May 16, 2006

Sport

Sport

It went off well: Tendulkar

Special Correspondent

Might undergo his fitness on May 20

— Photo: V. Ganesan

GEARING UP: Sachin Tendulkar goes through a physiotherapy session under the watchful eyes of trainer Ramji Srinivasan.

Chennai: Sachin Tendulkar's race against time to attain fitness before the Test series in West Indies continued at the MRF Pace Foundation on Monday.

The master batsman, who arrived here from Mumbai on Monday morning, spent an hour in the afternoon at the MRF Pace Foundation gym. Trainer Ramji Srinivasan assisted Tendulkar as he went through the fitness routine drawn up for him by Indian team physio John Gloster.

The team for the Test series in the West Indies will be announced on May 24 and Tendulkar is sparing no effort to become match-fit. The indications are that the former Indian team physio, Andrew Leipus, will arrive here on Tuesday.

Good spirits

Tendulkar appeared in good spirits as he performed the core and scapula strengthening exercises. "It went off very well," a smiling Tendulkar told the media later.

He had said on arrival in Chennai earlier, "It (his fitness for the Caribbean campaign) depends on how I shape up during the training. I will be here for five days. I will follow the schedule given to me by John Gloster. I have been practicing in Mumbai."

Tendulkar had words of praise for the Pace Foundation. "MRF has produced numerous pacemen for the country and I am looking forward to utilising the facilities here." The batting great did not have nets on Monday.

Apart from regaining fitness, Tendulkar will be seeking to get into a good batting rhythm. Pace Foundation head coach T.A. Sekar said, "It is very satisfying that the Board has decided to send Tendulkar to the Foundation because of the infrastructure here. Apart from the fitness staff of the Indian team, I consider Ramji Srinivasan as the best trainer in the country. "

Later in the evening, during a function where he was named the brand ambassador for Reynolds, Tendulkar revealed more about the injury to his right shoulder. "It turned out to be more complicated than we expected. First we thought it was only the shoulder. The bicepter was affected too. But the doctors and the physio are happy with the progress."

On the question on player burnout due to excessive cricket, Tendulkar stressed on the rotation policy. "The workload for each cricketer is different. It is different for a younger cricketer, a senior cricketer, a spinner and a paceman." He said a cricketer should be allowed to take a break if he needed to but added the coach, the captain and the selectors knew best.

He focussed on the need to perform collectively. "Earlier, when they used to tell me that `you are the only one performing in the team' I was not happy. It was not true. Even then, there were always others who were doing the job." Talking about records, he said "Hundred No. 35 became so big because Sunil Gavaskar scored 34 Test centuries. Brian Lara or Ricky Ponting or whoever, if he sets a new mark, will be setting an example for the next generation to follow.

Tendulkar said that during a meeting with Lara in Mumbai recently, the West Indies great wanted him to come to the Caribbean. "I hope he is a good host," Tendulkar said with a smile.

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