Laxman undergoes knee surgery

SYDNEY, AUG. 21 V.V.S. Laxman, who ruined Australia's dream of winning its first Test series on Indian soil, has turned to the country he helped defeat for help in resurrecting his career.

Laxman, whose record-breaking 281 helped India to an unexpected 2-1 series win over Steve Waugh's Australians earlier this year, has sought out of the help of Australian doctors to get him back on the playing field within a month.

Laxman, 26, injured his right knee while fielding in a one-day series in Sri Lanka last month and initially feared he could be out of action for the rest of the year. But Laxman's Australian sports management company, whose directors include the Australian captain Waugh, arranged for him to fly to Sydney for immediate surgery to repair the damaged cartilage.

``The operation was a complete success and I hope to be playing again soon,'' Laxman told Reuters today. ''I am going to stay in Australia for another two weeks for physiotherapy to help strengthen the muscle but I hope to be ready to play in about four weeks.'' Laxman, who became a national hero in India after his amazing batting performances against Australia, said he was hoping to make his comeback in the Asian Test championship match with Pakistan in Lahore.

But he said he would save himself for the tour of South Africa later this year if the knee did not heal quickly enough. ``I don't want to risk it,'' he said. ''The most important thing is to get ready for the South African tour.'' Laxman's life changed forever when he put Australia's fearsome bowling attack to the sword in the second match of their three-Test series.

With India beaten in the first Test and made to follow-on in the second, Laxman's double hundred, the highest score by an Indian in Test cricket, suddenly transformed the series. India won the second match to level the series at 1-1 then took the decider to complete an amazing turnaround. ``It was the most important innings of my life and has really given me the confidence to go on and make other big scores,'' Laxman said.

''There are a lot of expectations for me now but I like the extra responsibility that comes with that.'' Laxman said he hoped to eventually captain his country but his first ambition was to score 300 in a Test. ``I would love to score a triple- century,'' he said. ''And if I did that, well then I would like to break Brian Lara's world record (375).'' A national hero is one thing but Laxman said the best aspect of his match-winning knock was that he no longer had to open the innings.

With the likes of Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly and Rahul Dravid in the side, Laxman was unable to nail down a middle-order spot and had to open. ``Not any more. The team management has given me the opportunity and said I can bat down the order so I can play my natural game,'' he said.

- Reuters.

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