Batting maestro Sachin Tendulkar says he is "very hopeful" of playing in the third cricket Test against Australia, starting in Nagpur on October 26, as the pain in his left elbow has lessened considerably.

"I saw Dr Anant Joshi (Board of Control for Cricket in India-appointed sports medicine expert) yesterday. It's much better now. The pain has gone down considerably and am very hopeful of playing in the next Test," Tendulkar said in Mumbai on Saturday.

He said he hopes to start practicing "in three or four days". "I have been practicing indoors with tennis balls," he added.

The champion batsman, who is out of action since almost two months because of an elbow injury, said he is following the rehabilitation program chalked out for him.

"I have been following a program that I have been given by physio Andrew Leipus and the trainer (Gregory King). That has helped in strengthening the muscles," Tendulkar informed.

Tendulkar missed the Holland tri-series in August, the three-match NatWest Series against England, the ICC Champions Trophy in England and the first two Tests in the ongoing series against Australia.

He has so far missed five Tests in his glittering career that began in 1989, having last been out of action when India toured Sri Lanka for a three-Test series in 2001. A veteran of 114 Tests, he is just 30 short of the 9500-run mark.