India's star batsman Sachin Tendulkar, who skipped the on-going triangular one-day series in Sri Lanka due to a hairline fracture to his right toe, is feeling better and is likely to go in for another bone scan on August 10.

Sports medicine expert Anant Joshi, who is treating Tendulkar, told PTI in Mumbai today that the batting maestro sounded cheerful when he spoke to him and said "he is feeling better."

"I am hopeful that the injury would heal soon. Because it is a hairline fracture it can't be seen on the X-ray and that is why we are doing another bone scan," he added.

When asked when Tendulkar would be able to join the struggling Indian team in Sri Lanka, Joshi said "it all depends on how soon the fracture heals. The second bone scan will give us some indication. Sachin has also been advised to wear a doughnut-like protection on the injured area to release the pressure on it," he added.

Tendulkar, who injured his toe while batting against the West Indies in the final league match of the tringular series in Zimbabwe on July 4, went on to score a hundred and helped India win handsomely.

Though the star batsman pulled out of the on-going tri-series, he is expected to be fit before the three-Test series against the Sri Lankans starting on August 14 at Galle.

© PTI