Laxman asked to return from Australia
Paritosh Parasher
Ace Indian Test cricketer V V S Laxman, in Australia for health reasons, has been asked by the Board of Control for Cricket in India to return home and join the team for the Test series against South Africa.
The Indian batsman has been in Sydney since hurting his knee while playing Sri Lanka in July. He was rushed to Australia for athroscopic surgery, which was performed by leading Australian knee specialist Michael Johnson.
While Laxman, instrumental in India's epic fightback against
Australia earlier this year, is unavailable for the triangular
limited-overs series involving South Africa and Kenya, he should be fit to play in the
three Tests against South Africa.
In March, Laxman had scored a marathon innings of 281 against
Australia in the second Test at Calcutta. But Indian fortunes in Sri Lanka
suffered with the absence of Sachin Tendulkar and Laxman dropping out midway.
According to The Daily Telegraph, BCCI officials are annoyed with Laxman for having stayed back in
Australia after the surgery. They have asked him to return to India to
prepare for the forthcoming Test series.
Laxman was given fitness clearance to play for a Sydney
first-grade side Balmain-UTS only few days back. But for the SOS call from India,
the player would have batted against Mosman Saturday.
Indo-Asian News Service
