Mortaza heads to Australia for rehab

Mashrafe Mortaza is to fly to Australia to aid his recovery from surgery on his knees and make a return to the Bangladesh squad as their star fast bowler and captain. Mortaza's international return after an extensive lay-off was once again stalled when he pulled up with fever recently, and he wished to have his knees checked up on in Australia ahead of England's visit later this month.

"I am now looking forward to the home series against England if my Australian surgeon gives [the] green signal," he told reporters in Dhaka. "It was actually bad luck that I missed the New Zealand trip. I hope everything would be okay with me to play in the coming home series."

Mortaza underwent knee surgery after the tour of the West Indies last year and was forced to miss the home Tests against India and the tri-series, also featuring Sri Lanka. He was officially named captain before the team departed for the West Indies but since the first Test of that tour, when he suffered the injury, Shakib Al Hasan has led the team in his absence. He was due to depart for New Zealand to join the squad for the limited-overs series but was ruled with a bout of the flu.

"Now I feel better but I am always at risk with my injury, so I don't know what is waiting for me before the England series," said Mortaza.

England are due to arrive in Bangladesh on February for a series comprising two Tests and three one-day internationals.