Tendulkar will face Aussies

The Board of Control for Cricket in India insists Sachin Tendulkar will be fit to face Australia next month.

BCCI insists batsman will be fit for Test series

The Board of Control for Cricket in India insists Sachin Tendulkar will be fit to face Australia next month. The veteran batsman has been ordered to rest his injured elbow for a week, ruling him out of domestic action and raising concerns over his fitness for the Test series against Australia. He suffered the injury while fielding in the third Test against Sri Lanka in Colombo and missed the subsequent one-day series. Tendulkar will take no part in the Irani Trophy match between the Ranji Trophy champions and a Rest of India team, which is to begin on September 24. The match was to feature all the probable players for the four-Test series against Australia, but BCCI secretary Niranjan Shah insisted Tendulkar's prolonged rest was merely a precaution. "Sachin was dropped from the Irani Cup team on the advice of the physiotherapist," Shah said. "He has been advised (to take) a week of rehabilitation. He will, however, be available for selection for the Australia series." The first Test against Australia will begin on October 9 in Bangalore. Tendulkar's place in the Rest of India team will be taken by Subramaniam Badrinath.