Tendulkar faces three-month break after hand surgery

Sachin Tendulkar will undergo rehabilitation for three months after a successful hand surgery in the United States on Tuesday.

The little master, who has been carrying a finger injury since late 2002, was operated upon by orthopaedic surgeons Dror Paley and Steven Friedman - both of whom specialise in hand reconstruction - at the Sinai Hospital in Baltimore.

"The X-rays show that Tendulkar suffered a torn ligament and tendon to his ring finger that is affecting the finger joint," Paley later said. "Clearly, he performed well at the World Cup despite this, but he was in pain. It mostly affected his catching. Every time he had to catch the ball, it was painful."

"He will now need occupational therapy to work on range of motion and his grip strength," Paley added.

With India's next series (against New Zealand at home) only in October, Tendulkar, though, won't miss any cricket during the period that it takes him to regain full fitness.