MUMBAI, India - Injured Mark Waugh is little better than a 50-50 prospect to play in next week's first cricket Test against India, according to Australian physiotherapist Erroll Alcott.

"At this stage's he's a slightly better than even chance to play next week," Alcott said.

"He feels sore today but he's comfortable with it. We'll let him rest for a couple of days and then start to increase his activity with that hand and then reassess it."

Alcott admitted Waugh was on a tight time schedule to be ready for the Test as he would have to be fully tested in batting and fielding by Monday, the day before the Test starts.

"It's not just being able to bat and then take a few catches - you have to take a lot more into consideration when you're trying to declare a bloke fit for a Test match.

"He has to be able to perform over five days of the Test match."

Waugh has previously split the webbing in his other hand and was out for a few weeks after it re-split but Alcott said this injury, which required three stitches, was not as serious.

"It's not the worst one I've seen," Alcott said.

"This one is more on the surface of the palm rather than right between the fingers."

He said if Waugh was passed fit, he would play with the stitches still in.

"The stitches need to be left in for a week which is not a bad a thing as they hold the skin together. These wounds do have a tendency to reopen after you take the stitches out."

The wound came as Waugh tried to take a catch off the bowling of Damien Fleming, with the ball just clipping his little finger.

If Waugh didn't recover in time for the Test, Damien Martyn would be ready to take his place after a good half-century in the previous tour match against India A.

Meanwhile, Alcott allayed any fears about Jason Gillespie, who needed a cortisone injection in his ankle yesterday.

Gillespie is sitting out the current game after feeling some soreness in the ankle after bowling in the opening game on a Nagpur pitch which tended to crumble under his footstrike during the opening tour match.

"Dizzy feels much better today," Alcott reported.

"He rattled his ankle a bit and after a few days treatment it didn't really respond so we injected it and now there's no pain at all."

Alcott said the problem was caused by two bone ends "kissing" each other but described it as "benign".

"He's had it in the past and had an injection a few days before a Test match and it's been fine."

© 2001 AAP