Result of fourth Test rankles Kumble

Discharged from hospital a day after undergoing surgery on his broken lower jaw, ace leg spinner Anil Kumble is confident of returing to action within two weeks.

Looking cheerful despite nagging pain from the surgery, he said he would start practice after a week.

He has been advised him to continue on semi-solid food for some more time to facilitate healing.

Kumble was hit by a rising delivery from Mervyn Dillon during the fourth Test against the West Indies in Antigua and had to return home for treatment.

After reaching Bangalore on Tuesday, he was admitted to a private hospital and a 45-minute surgery was performed on Thursday, using 'rigid internal fixation'. Two titanium mini plates, which are bio-compatible, have been fixed to his broken lower jaw.

"I am feeling much better now. The doctors here gave me best of the treatment," said Kumble.

The leggie was full of praise for Indian team's physio Andrew Leipus. "He did a good job in bandaging the injured jaw to ensure that no further damage was caused," he said.

He felt India could have got a favourable result had he been able to scalp the wicket of Hooper. "Though I got him (Hooper), I had bowled a no ball," he rued.

Asked whether he would have preferred to continue bowling in the Antigua Test, Kumble said, he would have 'considered it'.

The ace leg-spinner said BCCI president Jagmohan Dalmiya telephoned him soon after he was injured and assured him that his medical expenses would be taken care of.

Also read:
- 'Kumble could've won the match for us': Ganguly
- 'Not disheartened. It's part of the game': Kumble
- I wanted to leave after trying my best: Kumble
- Kumble to undergo surgery on Wednesday
- Kumble's wife not surprised by husband's heroics
- Gavaskar applauds Kumble's valiant effort
- Fractured jaw rules Kumble out of Antigua Test
- Courageous Kumble steels his jaw, pushes Windies on the defensive

Mail Cricket Editor