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The Indian tour management remain confident that Sachin Tendulkar, the lodestar of their World Cup campaign, will be back in England by early next week in time to face Sri Lanka, a match that could be crucial to their chances of qualifying for the Super Six stage.

Tendulkar flew back to Bombay yesterday morning following the death of his father, who had been recovering from a heart attack, on Tuesday night in Bombay. The news of the death was telephoned from Bombay by a friend of the family. The Indian coach, Anshuman Gaekwad, who took the call, was not sure how he would break the news to Tendulkar. In the end he rang Tendulkar's wife, who is in London, and she told her husband.

There has been no discussion about when Tendulkar might return, but Brijesh Patel, the Indian Tour manager said: ``Sachin is obviously devastated by the loss of his father but has said he will try and be back with us for the Sri Lankan game.''