May 24, 2006	Wednesday	Rabi-us-Sani 25, 1427

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MUMBAI, May 23: India batsman Sachin Tendulkar will miss next month's Test series in the West Indies as he has not fully recovered from shoulder surgery. The 33-year-old Tendulkar, India's most capped Test player, was to undergo a fitness test on Tuesday to determine his availability for the four-Test series beginning on June 2.

But he did not bat at the net session, which was being watched by chairman of selectors Kiran More, former India physiotherapist Andrew Leipus and board officials.

“As far as the board is concerned, Sachin is not going to the West Indies as we feel he is not 100 percent fit,” board secretary Niranjan Shah told reporters on Tuesday.

Test opener Wasim Jaffer, who underwent a shin operation in April, passed his fitness test and is available for selection.

“Sachin will go to London to consult with Andrew Wallace. He will continue with his rehabilitation,” Shah added.

Wallace is the surgeon who performed Tendulkar's shoulder operation.

“We will review his condition after two or three weeks. If the team management in the West Indies wants his services, and if he has recovered fully then, we'll send him.”

Tendulkar has not played since the final Test defeat against England at his home ground of Mumbai in mid-March, after which he had the surgery.

His absence will be a setback to the Indian team aiming for their first major Test series win outside the sub-continent in 20 years.

The premier batsman, who resumed mild net sessions on May 10, also spent five days testing his injured shoulder at the MRF Pace Foundation in Chennai.

“I am still not ready to compete in international cricket,” Tendulkar told reporters, adding that his right arm still felt weak.

“I don't know when I will be ready. I'll take the guidance of Wallace, he'll be in touch with the board.”

Leipus has been monitoring Tendulkar's progress in the absence of physiotherapist John Gloster, who is away with the team in the West Indies.

“Primarily the decision made today was on the functional weakness,” Leipus said.

“We don't want him to do further damage (to his shoulder) keeping in mind the big picture.”

The shoulder injury is the latest in a series of setbacks for the batsman over the last six years, which have mainly been attributed to the wear and tear of constant cricket since he began his India career as a 16-year-old on the tour of Pakistan in 1989.

He was also sidelined for six months last year after needing surgery to rectify a tennis elbow injury.

Tendulkar holds the world record for most Test and one-day hundreds and one-day aggregate.

The Indian team for the West Indies Tests is to be selected on Wednesday. —Reuters