'Sehwag is improving'

Dhoni confident of openers availability for CT

“He is improving every day. He is putting in a lot of effort to get ready for Champions Trophy ,” Dhoni said on Thursday.

On Sehwag’s chances of playing in the tri-series in Sri Lanka starting on September 8, Dhoni hinted the batsman may have to sit out of the event.

“It’s (tri-series) too soon, with just a few days to go,” he said.

Sehwag had injured his shoulder during the semifinal of the second edition of the Indian Premier League in South Africa and he underwent a surgery for the the Grade II lesion at a Nottingham hospital in June.

Since then, Sehwag has been following a rehabilitation programme, which makes him doubtful not only for the September 8-14 tri-series in Sri Lanka but also cast a cloud of doubt over his availability for the Champions Trophy in South Africa starting on September 22. Dhoni said apart from Sehwag, there were no other injury issues and the players looked in perfect shape for a hectic schedule ahead.

“We just had a mid-term fitness test and we’ll have a camp before the tri-series to get back into the groove and get ready for the long season ahead,” Dhoni said. The Indian captain was here to announce the second season of the September 9-13 Kolkata Fashion Week, of which he is the brand ambassador. “Right from my under-13, U-16 and U-19 days a number of times we played at Eden.