Sachin

Calcutta: Senior-most pro Sachin Tendulkar, who was struck on the left forearm during Sunday’s ODI in Centurion, is much better.

“Thankfully, Sachin has a bruised muscle and hasn’t suffered a fracture. In fact, the swelling is much less,” Media manager Rajan Nair told The Telegraph.

Speaking on Monday evening, shortly after the team arrived in Potchefstroom, he added: “Sachin isn’t feeling very uncomfortable and the physio (John Gloster) isn’t worried...”

Sachin, who scored 55 (his only fifty of the five-match series), was hit by Andre Nel.

Meanwhile, Test specialists Gautam Gambhir and Vikram Rajvir Singh have reached South Africa. Sourav Ganguly will be getting there on Tuesday morning.

Of the four returning home, Mohammed Kaif and Suresh Raina have left. Dinesh Mongia and Ajit Agarkar are going to leave Johannesburg a few hours after Sourav has landed.

The Indians play a four-day practice match in Potchefstroom, which was Australia’s ‘base’ in the 2003 World Cup, from Thursday.

The three-Test series begins at the Wanderers (Johannesburg) on December 15.