NEW DELHI - Indian leg-spinner Anil Kumble, sidelined since October with a shoulder injury, said today he might not be fit for next month's Australian tour of India.

"It doesn't look really great," said Kumble, considered key to India's prospects.

Kumble said he was leaving for South Africa by early next week to consult Johannesburg shoulder specialist Mark Ferguson after rehabilitation exercises had failed to solve his problem.

"I have done physiotherapy but it hasn't really helped. I will have a reassessment and treatment. I will be in South Africa for at least a week and only then I will know," Kumble said.

Kumble complained of shoulder pain and withdrew midway through India's campaign in the Sharjah Cup triangular one-day tournament in October.

India's second highest Test wicket-taker with 276 victims felt severe pain when he tried to bowl recently and realised his shoulder injury was not improving.

"It is still painful. I tried to bowl 10 days back and it was definitely painful," he said.

The Indian board has agreed to foot the bill for Kumble's treatment and he will be accompanied by the team's South African physiotherapist Andrew Leipus.

"He (Leipus) will be the best judge," Kumble said.

Kumble said he hoped he would not have to undergo arthroscopic surgery which would rule him out of the series against Australia.

World champions Australia arrive in India on February 14 to play three Tests and a five-match one-day international series.

Kumble missed a one-off Test in Bangladesh in November and a home series against Zimbabwe that followed.

© 2001 AAP