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Bangalore: Former Indian vice-captain and star leg spinner Anil Kumble on Wednesday played his first BCCI-recognised tournament in 10 months and hoped that he would be fully fit for the gruelling South African tour commencing in October.[an error occurred while processing this directive]"I am happy to be playing a three-day tournament after a gap of nearly 10 months. I am eagerly waiting to roll my arm over (against Andhra XI in the Coromandel Cement Trophy tournament) on Thursday," Kumble, who is leading the KSCA XI in the All India tournament, told reporters during the match at the RSI grounds.With Andhra putting Karnataka into bat in a rain-curtailed day, Kumble did not get an opportunity to bowl. However, he bowled at the nets before the start of the match.The 29-year-old leggie said his main goal was to get fit for the South African tour. "I will not be fit to play in the Sri Lankan series," he said, when asked whether he would be willing to play the Test series in the island nation. The Indian team for the tour will be picked up on Thursday. The leggie, who played his last international in Sharjah in October last, underwent surgery in the right shoulder in South Africa in January. After that he has only played in local league matches in the last few weeks. Kumble said, "My aim is to be fit enough to bowl 20 to 30 overs in a day. I am not in a hurry to come back. My priority is to get 100 per cent fit first and then only play in international cricket."He also pointed out that he had bowled 12 overs in a league match and his team had scored a thrilling two-run victory with the leg spinner claiming three for 49.Kumble said, "He did not have any discomfort while bowling. But some times, the shoulder gets stiff. It will gradually be all right. In the next few months, I should be fit," he added.Asked whether he was doing anything special as part of the rehabilitation programme suggested by shoulder specialist Mark Fergusson, he said, "I am doing routine stretch outs and some weights."Kumble has claimed 550 international wickets so far, including 276 in Test cricket. UNI
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