March 31, 2008	Monday	Rabi-ul-Awwal 22, 1429

CHENNAI, March 30: India’s star batsman Sachin Tendulkar will miss the second Test against South Africa after aggravating a groin injury, officials said on Sunday.

Tendulkar, who needs 172 runs to overtake West Indian Brian Lara as Test cricket’s leading run-getter, did not field for most part of the final day’s play in the first Test which was drawn earlier in the day.

“Sachin will not be playing the next Test,” Indian cricket board secretary Niranjan Shah said.

Tendulkar will need a week to recover and the selectors replaced him with Mohammad Kaif for the second Test starting in Ahmedabad on Thursday, Shah added.

Kaif, 27, played the last of his 13 Tests against the West Indies in Jamaica in June, 2006 and had scored 624 runs at an average of 32.84.

Kaif, a middle-order batsman, enjoyed a successful domestic season, scoring 993 runs in 13 first-class matches at an average of 58.41.

Tendulkar is expected to be fit for the third and final Test in Kanpur from April 11.

Indian captain Anil Kumble had earlier told reporters that Tendulkar had aggravated the groin injury he suffered on the recent Australian tour, but was hopeful he would play in Ahmedabad.

Kumble himself missed part of the last day’s play with a groin strain and Shah said the captain’s progress will be monitored ahead of the Ahmedabad Test.

Former Indian physiotherapist John Gloster had recommended a three-week rest for Tendulkar after the Australian tour ended on March 4.

The batsman, who turns 35 next month, however, declared himself fit for the South African series.

Tendulkar, who fell for zero in India’s only innings here, has 11,782 runs from 147 Tests, second behind Lara’s record tally of 11,953 runs.

The prolific Indian is already the top one-day batsman with 16,361 runs and holds the world record of 39 Test and 42 one-day centuries.—AFP