BOMBAY, 28 January 2005 — Sachin Tendulkar, struggling to keep his position as the world’s leading batsman, is faced with further uncertainty over his return to big cricket in the near future.

The tennis elbow, from which he is suffering from since the last several months and which he defied to play in Bangladesh and even notch up his highest Test score of 248, is not showing any signs of healing completely. If anything, the left elbow has deteriorated further.

A morose-looking Tendulkar spoke to this writer in detail about his present predicament which has left him so frustrated that, in his calmer moments, he might even be contemplating surgery as a last resort to perhaps make him fit to continue his playing career for at least a couple of years more.

“I thought my problem was overcome when I returned to action after a lay off of three months. I went to Bangladesh confident that I could carry on. But there itself I started feeling the pain again,” he said. “I did a fair bit of bowling on that brief tour, but it was while batting that I felt great discomfort.”

Tendulkar said that he had nursed his elbow with a lot of care and as per medical advice after missing out on the tri-series in Netherlands and the ICC Champions’ Trophy in England. He had done the full regimen of physiotherapy and taken necessary medication. “I felt better day by day. But just one stint in Bangladesh and the pain and stiffness in my left elbow started recurring.”

The 31-year old was criticized for making a trip to Melbourne for the Tsunami Relief Fund match, even though he knew that he was totally unfit to either to bowl or bat. He did make a brief appearance on the field as a substitute. When asked about this surprise decision, he said that the organizers wanted his presence at the match to be able to utilize his services for on-the-spot fund-raising.

Shoaib Akhtar, who was also selected to play for the Asian team in that match, thought it better to withdraw from the game rather than aggravate his back-strain. There is no point in having injured players however great the cause. That is because the aim of the venture was to play the match in all seriousness and the ICC had even granted it an official status.

All that is now past. It will not be any strain for Tendulkar to be physically present in the second Tsunami match at Calcutta in the middle of February without having to even just field. But his greater worry is the oncoming visit of the Pakistani team for three Test matches and five one-dayers. With just about a month to go for the Pakistani team’s tour of India, Tendulkar is a highly worried man. Inside of him, he believes that he may not be fit for that historic series. He is, however, making a gallant effort to get back to prime fitness. Ever since his return from Bangladesh, he has not touched either the bat or the ball. His big problem is that he cannot even exercise enough, let alone train in the gymnasium. His only activity is just running in the morning and evening, at a cricket ground so that he could at least watch others play and keep reminding himself of what he is missing. According to him, if the progress in the next three weeks is not satisfying, he may opt for surgery.

While in London, he had visited leading orthopedic surgeons and had sought their advice. “I was told that surgery may or may not cure his tennis elbow. It is better, at least in the present state, to concentrate on rest and light physio-therapy. And that is what I am doing.

With eyes getting somewhat moist, he said “Let us hope for the best.”