Injury won't keep me out of World Cup, says Kartik

Murali Kartik has said that his shoulder injury won't keep him from being part of the Indian team at the 2007 World Cup in the West Indies. Kartik, who has been out of action since February and is currently recuperating after surgery, said he had planned it in such a manner that he would have the time to recover and be fit in time for the World Cup.

"That is exactly the target. The team management and myself took this decision so that I have enough time to come back," the 29-year-old Kartik said. "We thought that I might need four-five months' time to recover and since India have no cricket after the West Indies series for a couple of months, this was the right time."

Kartik said he was looking at a much quicker return to action. "I should be playing much earlier than the new domestic season. I am looking to play in the English County season," he said. "I played for Lancashire last year, probably they would still be interested in me.

"I can't predict the exact date as to when I will return. But the operation went off well and I am in tenth week of my rehab."

Kartik said he felt the pain much before he decided to have his shoulder operated, but it was always his throwing that gave him problems, not bowling. "I first felt the pain seven-eight months back. When I was in Lancashire, I was playing with pain.

"It was in the Pakistan series in the first match that I realised that it had a reached a stage where I cannot postpone the surgery any further. But I never had problems with bowling, it was throwing that was affected."

Kartik, who has played for India in 30 one-dayers and taken 27 wickets, besides taking 24 wickets in eight Tests, said he took in his stride the setback which came at a time when he seemed to have finally emerged from the shadow of Anil Kumble and Harbhajan Singh. "Injury at any time of the career is a setback. When you go under the knife you always have the doubt about the shoulder. But that is part of any sportsperson's career. The challenge is to come back and bowl at the same level you had done before."