MADRAS, India (Reuters)
Left arm pacemen Zaheer Khan and Ashish Nehra are doubtful for India's upcoming one-day tri-nations series in South Africa because of injury, orthopaedic specialist Anant Joshi has said. Joshi told Reuters Khan had injured the instep of his right foot while Nehra was still suffering from the groin strain which forced him to miss last month's test series in Sri Lanka. He added that leg-spinner Anil Kumble appeared to have recovered fully from the shoulder injury that has sidelined him for almost a year.

Joshi has been asked by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to conduct fitness tests in Bombay over the weekend on all 15 players chosen for the October 5-26 one-day series which also involves Kenya.

Leading batsman Vangipurappu Laxman, who underwent surgery in Australia for a right knee ligament tear, has already withdrawn from the one-dayers because he has not recovered full fitness.

Joshi was in Madras to observe Kumble, Khan and Nehra, who are attending training sessions being conducted by former Australian fast bowler Dennis Lillee. "We watched them train and bowl over the last two days, with a neutral observer Dennis Lillee also looking at their bowling," he said. "While Anil is okay bowling and throwing and should be able to go, we are concerned about Khan and Nehra."

Khan, 22, said he felt some discomfort while bowling and Joshi added he was expected to undergo a bone scan before a final decision was taken. The squad is scheduled to leave for South Africa on Monday.

"Zaheer is now almost certain he may not be able to go on tour for the one-dayers, but we will be trying to see what to do and after a scan if it is just an inflammation, I will give him an injection and see how it goes at the weekend," Joshi said.

Joshi pointed out that Nehra still favoured a groin strain that forced him to miss last month's test series in Sri Lanka. "The inner side of his left thigh has been hurting and that has hampered him from stretching in his delivery stride. He is still guarding it a little. We will have to see if he frees up fully by Saturday when we will make him bowl at full pace."

Earlier this month, the Indian selectors expressed concern over a string of injuries to key players and said only those found 100 percent fit would travel to South Africa.

Joshi said the team's top batsman Sachin Tendulkar had told him he had started batting at the nets after recovering from a hairline fracture in his right foot that had sidelined him for two months.

"The passage of time has helped him recover from the injury and the new shoes should help protect his foot from further injury. I will be examining him again on Thursday," Joshi said.

Tendulkar, who sustained the injury early in July during a test tour of Zimbabwe, has been prescribed specially designed shoes by a South African expert to protect his healing foot.

Joshi said Indian captain Saurav Ganguly had also informed him that he had recovered from a groin strain. "They have to be fully fit before they go. They could have some pain here and there but it should not hamper them," he said.

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