| Player: | B Lee |
Australian fast bowler Brett Lee is recovering from his injury faster than expected and is set for an early comeback to international cricket in the One-day series against Pakistan in April. Sidelined with stress fractures in his foot since early last month, 32-year-old Lee was initially expected to return in the World Twenty20 to be held in England in June. But with his rehabilitation ahead of schedule, Lee is targeting the five-match One-day series against Pakistan in United Arab Emirates. He is planning to run in the next fortnight and bowl by mid-March after having a surgical boot removed last week.
"The good news is the healing is two weeks ahead of schedule. There's no need to rush Brett, but it looks like he will be available for selection for the Pakistan One-dayers, that's the target," Lee's agent Neil Maxwell said. "It's better than where he should be and Brett is really pumped. The most encouraging sign is that he said to me the other day, 'I've never been more excited about playing cricket". Should Lee not be available for the Pakistan series, he will be encouraged by Cricket Australia to play in the latter stages of the Indian Premier League.
CA physiotherapist Alex Kountouris said Lee could benefit with a stint in the IPL, which concludes two weeks after the One-day series against Pakistan. "Brett might play in the IPL because it might fit in with our time frame. We'd probably like him to play the latter part of the IPL because it will give him some cricket before he plays in the World Cup. He's going really well. I saw him last week and he's making good progress. At the moment, he's doing a lot of strength work and he will be cleared to start running in a couple of weeks," Kountouris added.