Vice-captain Virender Sehwag looks set to miss India's opening encounter of the ICC World Twenty20 against Bangladesh at Trent Bridge, Nottingham, on Saturday.
Coach Gary Kirsten made it clear that while Zaheer Khan showed signs of improved fitness after a good session in the nets, the dashing opener could miss the match because of an old injury.
"No decisions have been made. Zaheer is looking good though and Virender is still doubtful. No final decisions have been made yet and we are going to give the guys the last possible opportunity to get fit when play starts at 5.30 tomorrow [2200 IST, Saturday]; but it is looking good from Zaheer's point of view," Kirsten said on Friday.
Sehwag came to the ground on for practice on Friday, but after a light warm-up did not take part in the batting session. Both he and Zaheer picked shoulder injuries during last month's IPL and are looking to regain full fitness ahead of the Super Eights stage of the tournament.
"He [Sehwag] has got a Grade 1 tear in his shoulder... and I don't know if that has been projected in the media. So it isn't that the injury doesn't exist. It started in the IPL and we are monitoring that.
"It is a type of injury that we can't make a decision on yet. He has had injections and we will see how he responds to that and take a decision from there.
"So it is still open with regards to Viru at this moment," India's coach added.
Asked why India took a gamble by including a half-fit Sehwag and Zaheer in the squad, Kirsten replied: "He [Sehwag] was picked in the squad and then he got this injury... and we felt that this injury was not serious to miss the whole tournament. If a player of the calibre of Virender Sehwag can be available for any part of the tournament we want to keep him there."
