— Photo: AFP

MINOR MISHAP: Sachin Tendulkar being attended to by physio John Gloster after he sprained his ankle while batting in the nets.

KOLKATA: Sachin Tendulkar sprained his right ankle, while ducking awkwardly under a S. Sreesanth bouncer, at the nets on the opening day of the five-day conditioning camp at the Eden Gardens here on Wednesday.

Tendulkar was playing his shots fluently till the bouncer, that pitched on the middle stump and rose sharply, forced him to take evasive action. While doing so, Tendulkar lost balance and fell backwards.

It took some time for everyone to realise something was wrong when he did not get up. The team's physio escorted a hobbling Tendulkar away from the centre pitch and inspected the injury. Soon Tendulkar walked away from the ground for his injury to be attended with an icepack.

Not serious

Confirming the injury, the Bangladesh-bound team's administrative manager, Surendra Bhave told the media that the injury was not of a serious nature. "Tendulkar sprained his right ankle while ducking under a Sreesanth bouncer. The injury is not serious. Gloster has packed the injured ankle with ice," Bhave said.

When asked if an x-ray was done on the injured ankle, Bhave said there was no need for one as the injury was not serious.

While it was known that Dinesh Karthik would not be joining the camp, owing to his marriage, the absence of V.V.S. Laxman was felt during the morning training session.

Bhave clarified that the Hyderabad player was down with gastroenteritis and would need time to recover before joining the camp. He also said that Laxman had updated the Board and cricket manager Ravi Shastri about his illness.

As regards Karthik, Bhave said he would have to attend to a family function in connection with his marriage on May 5 after which he would join the camp.

Two nets used

The two-hour morning session was devoted to light fitness drills and fielding practice with Gregory King putting the boys through their paces. The afternoon session too lasted nearly two hours in which two separate nets were used. One net had spinners operating and the other only pacers.

Those who had finished batting at the nets moved to the centre of the field where Shastri had simulated a match situation with two batsmen facing the bowlers with fielders around. Here too the fast bowlers and spinners operated separately.

Bhave expressed his satisfaction after the first day's work-out and said the boys enjoyed every aspect of the workout including fitness drills.

Feeling the heat

Tamil Nadu medium-pacer Vijaykumar Yomahesh, who is here to bowl to the stalwarts, had some problems with the heat. Munaf Patel too faced the similar problem in the afternoon.

When asked, Bhave said it was a simple case of dehydration and that is was nothing new to cricketers. "They know how to tackle it," he said.

He said the boys, who had an enjoyable swimming session in the hotel, may undergo yoga sessions in the next few days. The players would follow the same pattern of practice on Thursday. Bhave also indicated that the coaches were planning to bring about changes in training pattern thereafter.

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