Injury spells trouble for Kaif

MUMBAI: The injury problems of the Indian team touring Australia were compounded further on Friday when Md Kaif was ruled out of the first few games of the Tri-series commencing in Australia on January nine. The middle-order batsman’s thumb injury which he sustained 10 days ago during the ‘A’ tri-series in Kolkata has not yet healed.
"I checked him this morning and got some X-rays done.Unfortunately, he won’t be able to make it for the first few games and I have sent the report to the BCCI president Mr. Jagmohan Dalmiya,’’ said board doctor Dr. Anant Joshi on Friday. However there is no need for any surgery on Kaif’s thumb. "It’s just a severe bruising which will take at least 10 days to mend. We’ll take a call on his fitness after I examine him,’’ Dr. Joshi added.
Chief selector Syed Kirmani, though, seemed surprised when told about the development. However, an agency report, quoting a "top BCCI source’’, said Kaif had already been ruled out for the whole series. It also quoted the source as saying that a replacement would be named by the national selectors within the next two days.