Spotlight On Sachin

The spotlight was on Sachin Tendulkar, making a comeback after a long injury layoff, as the three-day camp for the Indian cricket team commenced.

The cricketers kicked-off the conclave with indoor training sessions at National Cricket Academy before trooping out for light nets which were interrupted by rains in the afternoon.

Tendulkar looked cheerful and batted for a while, facing deliveries from Kerala speedster Sreesanth, the lone new face in the 15-member squad that will do duty in the first two one-dayers against Sri Lanka beginning at Nagpur next Tuesday.

Chappell was assisted by his support staff -- Trainer Gregory King and Physio John Gloster -- besides bio-mechanics expert Ian Frazer. Chappell, whose public spat with Sourav Ganguly made headlines recently, declined to speak to the scribes.

Members of the electronic media sought to cajole Tendulkar to give "sound-bites" as he was sipping tea, but the batting ace, who was in a jovial mood, quipped: "I am having biscuit bites".

Reporters were keen to know details about the camp, coming as it does before a gruelling home season ahead that will see India play 12 one-day internationals -- seven against Sri Lanka and five against South Africa -- besides three Tests against Sri Lanka. But they were kept at bay and "roped" out to ensure that they were not able to get close to the players.

Meanwhile, Anil Kumble and Mohammed Kaif, who are under rehabilitation, spent some time with Gloster.