Published: Jan 17, 2014, 08:05 AM (IST)
Edited: Feb 03, 2014, 09:12 PM (IST)
Jan 17, 2014
Australian pacer Ryan Harris has opted to let go off a possible lucrative Indian Premier League (IPL) contract to undergo an impending knee surgery. The pacer is focused on extending his Australia career with key series lined up later in the year. He represented Kings XI Punjab in IPL 6.
The pacer has been in great form being the Man of the Series in the first leg of the Ashes and picked up 22 in the five-match series at home against the arch-rivals. However, due to the wear and tear, the 34-year-old will have to undergo a surgery on his right knee. Harris has delayed the surgery with the tour against South Africa lined up in February.
It was decision which Harris was contemplating on post the 5-0 Ashes win. Harris had said that he would take the decision after discussing with the management. Playing in the IPL would have further pushed his surgery ahead by two and half months.
“I think we’re managing him really well and if we use the schedule as we can and not overload him, we can work with him for long periods,” Cricket Australia’s high performance manager Pat Howard was quoted as saying by the Sydney Morning Herald.
“He and I have had those discussions… our first goal is obviously to get him on the plane to Africa, fit and ready to go. We’ve worked really hard to make sure all the really good work the medics and the strength and conditioning guys did that allowed him to get through the last period, we’re doing all those things again. There is a real opportunity to get some real longevity out of him, which I know he’s really keen to do,” said Howard.
