Kolkata, Nov 02: Indian skipper Sourav Ganguly's ordeal following an abscess in his left thigh seemed to be over with the doctors today declaring that he was available for the November-12 triangular series match against Australia. "We are very happy with his progress. He has recovered fast. From our side, we have no problem if he plays the November 12 match at Bangalore," Dr Sukumar Mukherjee, head of the six-member medical board formed to treat Ganguly, said here.
The doctors, who went to Ganguly's residence during the day and examined the wound, felt Ganguly was now physically fit to play the match.
"However, now the matter is in the court of the Board of Control for Cricket in India. As per the board's norms, I believe he has to undergo a fitness test. On being cleared, he can again play for the country," Mukherjee said.
He said that Ganguly now had no problem in stretching and the limp had also gone.
"Today, we made him walk before us. He is perfectly fine," Mukherjee said.
However, the rehabilitation programme, including physiotherapy, would go on for a few more days. The course of anti-biotics would also be continued.
Mukherjee said all the five 'superficial stitches' on the wound had been removed and one of the two deep stitches would be cut tomorrow. "The last deep stitch would be removed next week."
The medical board had earlier ruled Ganguly out of the first four matches of the tri-series till the encounter against New Zealand at Cuttack on November 6.
Ganguly, who had to undergo mini surgical procedures twice in five days for the abscess, earlier missed the second and last Test against New Zealand at Mohali last month.
While Ganguly underwent the first surgical procedure at Mohali on October 14 to remove the abscess, he was again put under the surgeon's scalpel on October 18 at a private nursing home here for cleansing and trimming the wound.
After the Cuttack match, India have two league matches left - against Australia at Bangalore and against New Zealand at Hyderabad on November 15. Bureau Report