Sachin Tendulkar is recovering well from a tennis elbow injury and should be fit to play in next month's Test series against Pakistan, Indian coach John Wright said on Tuesday. Tendulkar, the most prolific batsman in modern cricket with 34 Test and 37 one-day centuries, has not touched a bat since ending a tour of Bangladesh in December. The 31-year-old, who sustained the injury last August, appeared to have aggravated the pain in his left elbow after returning for the last two Tests against Australia in October.
Tendulkar later played in two Tests against South Africa and toured Bangladesh for two Tests, where he scored a double century to equal former Indian captain Sunil Gavaskar's world record of 34 Test centuries.
Tendulkar missed the ongoing domestic Challenger one-day series here featuring the country's top 36 cricketers, but Wright was hopeful the star batsman was well on the road to recovery.
"I spoke to Sachin today and he sounded very good and very optimistic," said Wright.
"He has begun to exercise and his progress will be monitored by the Indian team's new physiotherapist John Gloster.
"Sachin has had good rest over the last six weeks and I am certain he will be raring to go against Pakistan," said Wright.
The Indian coach added that Tendulkar had targeted a four-day domestic match starting on February 22 for his comeback.
Pakistan, due to arrive on February 25, will play three Tests and five one-day internationals on their first Test tour of India since 1999.