Six-wicket Broad to undergo knee surgery

England fast-bowler wants to see out remainder of the Test series against India.

MANCHESTER: Stuart Broad confirmed he would be undergoing surgery on a longstanding right knee injury after taking six wickets for England in the ongoing fourth Test against India at Old Trafford on Thursday.

However, Broad insisted he would see out the remainder of a five-Test series currently in the balance at 1-1.

And with the recovery time from an operation estimated at 14 weeks, Broad was also confident he would be fit in time for next year’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, which starts in February.

Broad, after taking 6-25 in 13.4 overs as India were dismissed for just 152 on Thursday’s first day, told reporters, “It’s been confirmed I’m going to have an operation.

“The timing is not confirmed but the fella is flying over from Sweden after the Oval Test [the India series finale] to have a look.

“It will either be after that Test or after the one-day series, depending on what he suggests.

“At any stage in the last 18 months I could have had the operation and it’s at the stage where it needs to be done.

Broad added, “I should be fine [for the World Cup]...it’s about three, three-and-a half months. “It’s actually a really good opportunity for me to get the knee sorted and to use it as a strength and conditioning period.”

India’s innings contained a Test record-equalling six ducks, including three of their top four batsmen, with Broad starting a collapse that saw the tourists slump to 8-4 when he dismissed recalled opener Gautam Gambhir.

Broad’s haul, in his 73rd Test, saw him move past his friend Graeme Swann, the now retired off-spinner, into sixth place in England’s all-time list of most successful Test bowlers with 261 wickets.

“It’s always nice to move up the list and I’m sixth now,” said Broad.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 9^th, 2014.

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