On the day BCCI secretary Niranjan Shah had announced that Sachin Tendulkar was opting out of the tri-series in Bangladesh following a recurring groin injury, he also said that the board had asked all eight IPL franchises to submit a detailed fitness report of their players. It was on the basis of those reports that the board decided to rest medium-pacer Zaheer Khan.

In case of Sreesanth though, there seems to have been some serious miscommunication. If not, it would be difficult to understand what took the bowler so long to tell the board, just a day ahead of the team’s departure to Bangladesh, that he was unfit because of an injury during Kings XI Punjab’s last league match against Rajasthan Royals.

On Friday, Sreesanth informed BCCI of his injury and the board hastily sent a press release saying, “The bowler has got a left side strain from the last (IPL) game at Mohali.” The report further stated how MRI scans have confirmed the injury and the bowler currently has “some effusion in the region”.

Sreesanth, who is currently in Bangalore, has been asked to report to the medical team at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) and his availability for the tour will be decided after the assessment there. Shah added in his press release that “the bowler looks doubtful”. Sources say, however, that he is almost certain to miss the series due to injury. Sreesanth featured in all his 15 IPL matches, finishing with 19 wickets — joint second with Shane Warne on the wicket-takers list.

... contd.