Tendulkar pulls out of Mumbai-Maharashtra clash

Sachin Tendulkar and Zaheer Khan have pulled out of Mumbai's final Ranji Trophy league match against Maharashtra at Nasik from January 10.

Tendulkar pulled a hamstring during India's recently concluded series-decider against South Africa at Cape Town while Zaheer opted out owing to undisclosed personal reasons. However, Wasim Jaffer, who made a century in the final Test in South Africa, will turn out for Mumbai in the match, one which they need to win to ensure their place in the semi-final.

Tendulkar has been advised rest for four-five days but the injury will not stop him from playing in India's home one-day series against West Indies starting on January 21, Lalchand Rajput, the joint secretary of Mumbai Cricket Association, told Press Trust of India. Mumbai have meanwhile named Kshemal Waingankar and Sangram Bagul as replacements.

The Indian team for the one-day series, along with probables for the World Cup, is set to be announced on January 12. Zaheer, for whom the Nasik match would have been his first for Mumbai, informed chairman of national selectors Dilip Vengsarkar about his unavailability.

On the other hand, Maharashtra will miss the services of fast bowler Munaf Patel who had been advised to rest for two weeks to recover from the ankle injury that he sustained in South Africa. He was ruled out of the first two matches of the West Indies series.

Rahul Dravid, VVS Laxman and Sourav Ganguly are expected to turn out for their respective teams - Karnataka, Hyderabad and Bengal have important games. Karnataka, though, may be without the services of Anil Kumble, keen on some rest before the one-day series.