KNEE SURGERY WILL KEEP CHETESHWAR PUJARA OUT OF ACTION FOR FOUR MONTHS

The Indian batsman, Cheteshwar Pujara, has been ruled out of the game for another four months after he underwent a surgery on his right knee.

The 23-year-old right-handed batsman from Gujarat sustained the injury during season four of Indian Premier League (IPL), in May this year, where he was playing for the tournament runners up, Royal Challengers Bangalore. He missed out on major part of the lucrative tournament due to the knee injury.

The injury also forced Pujara to miss the recently concluded tour of West Indies, where India defeated the Caribbean side in both, the One-Day and Test series for the first time in history.

Pujara’s last appearance in any format of the game was in the IPL match between Royal Challengers Bangalore and Kochi Tuskers Kerala on May 8.

The Gujarat cricketer cannot walk on his own, and needs crutches. He is currently undergoing a rehabilitation programme at the National Cricket Academy in Bangalore, where Virender Sehwag is also recovering from shoulder surgery.

While talking to the media reporters on Tuesday, Pujara revealed that he had also injured his left knee during the second edition of Indian Premier League in 2009 in South Africa, but that did not bring a lot of problems for him, though it was more painful at that time.

"The last time I injured my left knee, during IPL-II, there was a lot of pain," Pujara told a leading Indian newspaper.

"This time there was no pain at all and doctors believed I could get fit for the tour of England. But I was asked to consult Dr Andrew Williams (in England) who advised me to undergo surgery," he added further.

Pujara debuted in the first class cricket in December 2005 and waited for five years to get a call up in the national side. Last year he was included in India’s Test squad for the home series against Australia, where he played a match-winning 72 run knock in the second innings of the Bangalore Test to seal the series win for the hosts.

When asked about his future plans, Pujara said, "I don't know what the future holds. I'm hopeful of making a comeback. I think I have given my best during the opportunities I have got."