Harbhajan advised three months' rest

Harbhajan Singh successfully underwent surgery on his injured right index finger in Melbourne on Friday (Dec 19). In all likelihood, the rest and rehabilitation process will take three months, putting him out of the tour of Pakistan.

Dr Greg Hoy, a finger specialist, operated on the injury Harbhajan sustained during a one-day international in Dhaka earlier this year. Harbhajan was described as being "in a cheerful mood" by Shivlal Yadav, the Indian team manager, after the hour-and-a-half-long surgery. A decision on his return to India will be taken when the squad reaches Melbourne on December 22.

The operation could have taken place earlier, but for Harbhajan's fear of going under the knife. The aggravated injury forced him to sit out the Adelaide Test.