Advertisement

After knee surgery, Gul ready for competitive cricket

Pakistani fast bowler Umar Gul has said that he is ready to return to competitive cricket following an absence of six months after undergoing knee surgery in Australia this May.

Islamabad: Pakistani fast bowler Umar Gul has said that he is ready to return to competitive cricket following an absence of six months after undergoing knee surgery in Australia this May.
The senior left-arm quick was sent to Melbourne for an arthroscopy on the right knee after he limped out of the one-day series during the South Africa tour, following which he was ruled out of the ICC Champions Trophy and the subsequent tours of the West Indies and Zimbabwe. According to the Daily Times, during Gul`s absence, Pakistan suffered a humiliating loss in the Champions Trophy, a successful West Indies tour and a mixed tour of Zimbabwe. Gul, who has been undergoing rehabilitation to regain complete fitness, said that he is `pretty optimistic` of getting back the rhythm of his past successes as he feels fine at the moment, although he admitted that there is no way to find out the actual state of his fitness as the domestic first-class season is not slated to begin till October. Gul, the leading bowler in all Twenty20 internationals with 74 wickets in 52 matches, further said that his knee is fine with no signs of any ill effects from the surgery, adding that he has started bowling in the nets as well. However, the report said that it is unlikely that the national selectors would risk Gul, currently Pakistan`s leading paceman with 163 wickets in 47 Tests and 161 in 116 ODIs, for the forthcoming matches. ANI