Sachin awaits fitness test for international return

New Delhi, July 13 (UNI) Runs flowed from his bat during his Lashings stint but Sachin Tendulkar says his return to international cricket would depend on the outcome of a fitness test.

In the capital on a promotional tour, Tendulkar, who had a shoulder surgery in March, said he was feeling better but return to international cricket would be subject to his clearing the fitness test.

''I had a six-week stint in England and followed a proper training programme. Those were vital practice matches for me. Any injured player needs to play practice matches before making a comeback and I was keen to know if my shoulder allows me to play.

I'm feeling quite good now but a return would depend on the fitness test before the team physio,'' he explained.

Sachin also denied that he was rushing his return.

''That is precisely why I skipped the West Indies tour, despite trying my best to be fit before that,'' he said.

''It was extremely disappointing to miss the tour but you know there are certain injuries which need a number of days to heal and that's why I decided to skip it. We tried our level best but just couldn't do,'' he elaborated.

He, however, admitted that the surgery, necessitated by a tennis elbow, marked perhaps the toughest phase in his career.

''I think this was probably the toughest period for me in the last 17 years. It took a long time to fix and to get back to action,'' he said.

Asked to comment on Indian team's performance in the Caribbean where they conceded the five-match ODI series 1-4 before winning the four-match Test series 1-0.

''It will be unfair on my part to make a loose comment. I was not part of the dressing room and have no idea about the strategy or how the pitches played there. For instance, I expected big scores in the ODI series but it was not to be. I can't make a loose remark on who made mistakes and where. Everyone makes mistakes and that's how you get out. I too made mistakes a number of times.

''Anyway, the ODI series was disappointing but I think they made up for the ODI loss, by winning the Test series. We had chances in the first and third Tests but in the end, they clinched the series and it proved that consistency eventually pays off,'' he added.

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