Tendulkar still not fit, to miss Kanpur Test too

New Delhi: Sachin Tendulkar will also miss the third Test against South Africa in Kanpur.

Tendulkar had aggravated a groin injury during the Chennai Test and missed the second Test at Ahmedabad that India lost by an innings and 90 runs on Saturday.

According to a report submitted by former India physio John Gloster it is a chronic injury and is likely to reoccur at any point.

The Master Blaster who turns 35 this month began his career almost two decades back in 1989 and many have been wondering if his body can take the rigours of Test cricket any more.

Tendulkar had picked up the groin injury in the One-Day series in Australia and had to take pain-killing injections to get through the tour.

He was advised three weeks rest by the medical staff, with the warning that the injury could re-surface.

Tendulkar told the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) that he was fit to play in the first Test and wasn't asked to take a fitness test.

It's only to be expected that in a career spanning nearly two decades in which he has played 147 Test matches and 417 One-Dayer, Tendulkar's body would have taken a beating.

In 1999, a back injury forced him out of a few One-Day matches and in 2001, a toe injury kept him out of a series in Sri Lanka.

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A thigh injury in 2002 kept him out of a One-Day series against Zimbabwe and in the same year a hamstring injury kept him away from playing the West Indies at home.

Tendulkar was once again laid low in 2003 when his ankle got injured and he missed the One-Dayers in New Zealand. A finger injury later that year kept him away from a tri-series in Australia.

In 2004 Tendulkar was troubled by a tennis elbow and was forced out of the NatWest challenge and Champions Trophy in England. In 2005; he underwent surgery for his tennis elbow that kept him out for six months.

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But it didn't end there and in 2006, Tendulkar's shoulder needed surgery, which kept him out of a couple of One-Day tournaments.

Then in December 2007, he was forced to miss the third Test against Pakistan in Bangalore because of a knee injury.

With a busy season ahead, Indian fans will be hoping that Tendulkar returns to the fold soon, and this latest setback is just a temporary blip.

Tendulkar would be continuing his rehabilitation programme in Mumbai and is expected to be fit in time for the Indian Premier League Twenty20 tournament starting April 18 where he leads the Mumbai team.

(With inputs from Amit Bose)