Sachin Tendulkar has pulled out of the Irani Trophy to recover from his elbow injury ahead of the Test series against Australia starting October 9.
"Tendulkar is not playing the Irani Trophy because he has been advised a week of rehabilitation," Ratnakar Shetty, the BCCI's chief administrative officer, told Cricinfo. "Paul Close [the National Cricket Academy's physio] has suggested he [Tendulkar] needs a break from the Irani Trophy to recover from the stiff elbow."
Tendulkar will work with Close in Mumbai from September 20 to get fit in time in order to join the national camp in Bangalore. He had twisted his elbow while fielding during the third Test in Sri Lanka last month and was forced out of the one-dayers that followed.
The Irani Trophy match will take place between Ranji Trophy champions Delhi and a Rest of India side that will feature probables for the Test series. Tendulkar had earlier declared himself fit for the match, which starts on Wednesday in Baroda. Shetty said there would be no replacement for Tendulkar in the 14-member Rest of India squad.
