Injured Tendulkar out of Ahmedabad Test, Kaif returns to sid
Mumbai (PTI): India suffered a big blow as champion batsman Sachin Tendulkar was on Sunday ruled out of the second cricket Test against South Africa, after aggravating a groin injury.
Mohammed Kaif has been included in the side in place of Tendulkar for the crucial second Test, which will be played in Ahemedabad from April 3.
Speedster Ishant Sharma has also been included in the fifteen for the Test, informed chief selector Dilip Vengsarkar.
Tendulkar, who had suffered a groin injury in Australia, had aggravated it and did not take the field on the final day of the drawn opening Test on Sunday at Chennai's M A Chidambaram Stadium.
The forced absence of Tendulkar, who made zero in the mammoth Indian first innings total of 627, has given the chance to Kaif, who was in great form in domestic cricket this season, to get back into the squad after a long absence.
The 27-year-old UP batsman played the last of his 13 Test matches in end-June last year at Kingston against the West Indies before losing his place in the team.
Sharma did not play in the first Test due to an injury. The lanky Delhi paceman later underwent a fitness test at the National Cricket Academy (NCA), Bangalore.
"Because of Sachin Tendulkar's re-aggravation of right groin injury during the fourth Test (in Australia) when he was fielding on the fourth day, his playing for second Test against South Africa is doubtful," said Cricket Board Secretary Niranjan Shah in a media release here.
"Selection Committee has decided to replace Sachin Tendulkar by Mohammad Kaif for the second Test against South Africa to be played at Ahmedabad," he said.
Shah also said that though captain Anil Kumble also sustained a groin injury during the drawn Chennai match, he was expected to play in the second Test though a final decision would be taken on the eve of the Ahmedabad tie.
"Kumble received right groin injury while bowling on last day of first Test. For precautionary measure he was rested from fielding," Shah said.
"Physiotherapist Paul is confident that he will be available to play Second Test Match. Final decision in this regard will be taken on April 2," he added.
