London, Aug 26 (Inditop.com) There is some time before Andrew Flintoff’s career as a One-day specialist can take off following a surgery that will need a recovery period of at least six weeks.
The 31-year-old Lancasterian has retired from Test cricket to concentrate on the One-day game but his next England match will be months away, possibly not before next summer, following a routine arthroscopy and micro-fracture surgery to two small areas in his right knee.
“The recovery will require him to be non-weight-bearing for the first six to eight weeks post surgery. At the end of this six-to-eight-week period, the knee will be reviewed by his surgeon and the time-scale for ongoing rehabilitation further determined,” the Guardian said, quoting a statement from England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB).
England will play three One-day internationals against Bangladesh in February-March. That could mark Flintoff’s return. But it is more likely to take place in the domestic season, providing he does not get injured again in the Indian Premier League.
Flintoff has encouraged England to build on their Ashes success. “We’ve won the Ashes, fantastic, but if lessons can be learned from the past, now is the time to try to dominate as a Test team,” he said.
“We’ve got the players to do it, we’ve got the captain to lead us, and it’s a realistic goal.”