Having returned empty-handed from Kuala Lumpur, the BCCI was keen on reinforcing the Sahara squad by sending four players -- Sachin Tendulkar, Ajay Jadeja, Anil Kumble, Robin Singh -- who were part of the Commonwealth team. Till last evening everything was set for the quartet to leave for Toronto.

However, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) threw a spanner in the BCCI works by objecting to the changes. After hectic parleys between the PCB officials and the BCCI chief Raj Singh Dungarpur last evening it has been decided that only two players -- Tendulkar and Jadeja -- would be leaving for Toronto in the wee hours on Friday. The duo would thus be in time for the last two matches of the five-match series against Pakistan scheduledfor September 19 and 20.

``The matter has been sorted out after going through the ICC (International Cricket Council) rules. Though the team management (at Toronto) sought the services of four players, we had to settle for only two (Tendulkar & Jadeja) after due consultations with the PCB officials who had been very helpful,'' Dungarpur said while speaking to The Indian Express this evening. The match referee Peter Burge too has cleared the two players, he added.

The drama doesn't end here. It has been reliably learnt that the BCCI has not been able to convey their latest message to Tendulkar till late evening today. The former Indian captain, according to sources, left for a nearby hill station after gaining knowledge that his Toronto trip had been ruled out. While admitting that Tendulkar had been `untraceable', the BCCI executive secretary Sharad Diwadkar said: ``Everything including the tickets are ready and we are hopeful of Tendulkar making it for the 2.00 a.m. flight on Friday.''

The lasthas not been heard yet. Who would make way in the 15-member squad already at Toronto for Tendulkar and Jadeja hasn't been sorted out and no information has been forthcoming from the BCCI either. Till then, the BCCI attempts to wriggle out of an unsavoury episode that began last month with the idea of fielding balanced teams for the two events.