Harbhajan out of action for at least two months

Dr Anant Joshi, medical adviser to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), has stated to Rediff.com that Harbhajan Singh will need at least two-three months to recuperate from his knuckle surgery. That will include six weeks of recovery and intensive physiotherapy sessions.

Harbhajan's surgery, to be performed at Avenue Hospital in Melbourne, will correct a ligament injury in the middle-finger knuckle of his right hand. The hospital also treated Shane Warne for a finger injury four years ago.

Ananth clarified that Harbhajan's condition is not similar to Warne's. "At this point, it seems to be similar to Sachin Tendulkar's injury. It is basically soft tissue repair and, generally, for injuries as such, the pins are not inserted, but the final decision will be taken by the surgeon.

"In a soft tissue injury, surgery is usually required to clear the inflammatory tissue, tissues that hamper healing around the joints. The scar tissue needs to be removed so that the fingers can cover their full scope of movement."

The injury, said Dr Joshi, "will not hamper Harbhajan in the future, but, in fact, it will help him perform better."