BANGALORE, Oct 1:

Sachin Tendulkar has been included in India's squad to take on Australia in the first test in Bangalore next week but he is still not certain of playing. Mohammad Kaif and Murali Kartik also got the nod in a list that only had space for three fast bowlers. The squad are to report in Bangalore on October 4 ahead of the Test that begins on October 6. Sourav Ganguly was named captain for the whole series.

"We have got a medical report that Sachin is progressing well. The injury has been rehabilitated," Indian cricket board secretary Karunakaran Nair told reporters on Friday. "His fitness will be assessed on a day-to-day basis before the first test. Depending on his fitness, he will also be considered for playing."

Tendulkar, 31, has been out of action since the Asia Cup final in August because of the left elbow injury. He returned to the nets this week but said his arm was still very weak. The squad covers the first two tests of the four-match series.

Squad: Saurav Ganguly (Captain), Virender Sehwag, Aakash Chopra, Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, Vangipurappu Laxman, Yuvraj Singh, Mohammad Kaif, Parthiv Patel (Wicket-Keeper), Anil Kumble, Harbhajan Singh, Zaheer Khan, Irfan Pathan, Ajit Agarkar, Murali Kartik.