Sachin Tendulkar was on Tuesday ruled out of the Test series against the West Indies after failing to recover fully from his shoulder injury.
"Sachin Tendulkar is not going to the West Indies as he is not 100 per cent fit," BCCI secretary Niranjan Shah told reporters in Mumbai.
Shah also added that Tendulkar will travel to London to seek Dr Andrew Wallace's advice. Dr Wallace had operated on Tendulkar's shoulder in March.
"He will continue his rehabilitation and training. After two or three weeks, we will review his condition. If the team management in West Indies and the selection committee feel that the team wants his services, then we will be very happy to send him there," Shah said.
Tendulkar, who did not undergo the fitness test scheduled for Tuesday morning, said he had not recovered completely and hence opted out of the four-Test series.
"We have been trying very hard. Andrew Leipus was with me all the time and all my sessions were monitored. I still feel there is a weakness in my arm and I am still not ready to compete in international cricket," he said.
The 33-year-old said it is not possible to put a time frame for recovering from such injuries.
"I don't know when I will be ready. I leave it to the doctors to guide me in the right direction. I am going to London to meet Dr Wallace to take his guidance. The doctor is in touch with the BCCI and Leipus, and they will figure out in what direction I should head," he said.
Former India physio Leipus, who is helping Tendulkar, said the decision to stay away from the West Indies series is a precautionary measure.
"Primarily, the decision that has been made today was based on the functional weakness, it's not on a performance-basis. We don't want him to do any further damage to the shoulders. If he doesn't have that function control over the shoulder, then he is facing surgical repair. We are looking at the big picture -- to prolong his career. The performance issue will come once the functional strength returns," said Leipus.
He further added that the rehabilitation process would continue in the coming weeks.
"It is a very comprehensive rehabilitation process, which he has been going through in the last few weeks and that's going to continue. We are progressing as quickly as he adapts. We can't accelerate any faster than his body can adapt to the loads that we put on it. The recovery is important too; we can't just keep on training. He needs to rest as well in order for his body to get stronger," he said.
Tendulkar's Mumbai teammate Wasim Jaffer, who underwent a fitness on Tuesday, has been declared fit and is available for selection for the West Indies Tests. The India opener underwent shin surgery in April.
Meanwhile, fast bowler Laxmipathy Balaji, who trained with Tendulkar in Chennai, said he has not yet fully recovered from his back injury.
"I am not fully fit yet. You can say I am around 60 to 70 per cent fit. I have just started bowling around two weeks back. I am following the fitness routine prescribed by [John] Gloster and Leipus and hope to get fit soon," he told rediff.com.
The Indian team for the Test series in the West Indies, beginning June 2, will be selected in Mumbai on Wednesday.
More from rediff