Sachin Tendulkar on Saturday formally joined the Mumbai Indians’ conditioning camp for the upcoming Indian Premier League campaign at the Wankhede Stadium.
The batsman was busy playing for the country in Australia and then in the Asia Cup in Bangladesh when the camp began and, after India’s early exit from the Dhaka four-nation tournament, went to London on a brief visit for medical consultation about his injured toe.
Tendulkar, who achieved the unprecedented landmark of scoring 100 international hundreds during the Asia Cup, will be spearheading MI’s bid to clinch the crown for the first time in the cash-rich T20 event, commencing on April 4.
MI’s campaign opener is scheduled against two-time winners Chennai Super Kings, to be led by India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni, at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.
The preparatory camp is set to conclude on Saturday. The MI squad and the support staff — including mentor-cum-bowling coach Shaun Pollock, advisor cum fielding coach Jonty Rhodes, head coach Robin Singh, assistant coach Paras Mhambrey and spin bowling coach Maninder Singh — are set to leave for Chennai on Sunday.
Tendulkar looked in no apparent difficulty while batting at the nets for half an hour with different bats against the likes of Munaf Patel and RP Singh. Later, the MI players were split into two teams to play a game, and the senior batsman also batted under lights.
