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'I'll draw inspiration from Sri, Warne'
Jan 17, 2001, 13:40 Hrs (IST)

New Delhi: India's Anil Kumble will seek inspiration from fellow leg-spinner Shane Warne of Australia in a bid to salvage his cricket career after a shoulder injury.

Kumble, who will undergo surgery in Johannesburg later on Wednesday, is expected to be out of action for at least four months.

The 30-year-old was, however, confident he will follow the example of Warne and Indian pace bowler Javagal Srinath, who returned to international cricket after similar shoulder problems.

"I'm looking at this episode in life positively," Kumble told 'The Telegraph' newspaper.

"In any case, I'll draw inspiration from Sri (Srinath) and Warne in particular. Both didn't allow shoulder surgery to hamper their career."

Kumble, India's leading spinner with 276 Test and 274 One-day wickets, was expected to be a potent force during the upcoming home series against Steve Waugh's all-conquering Australians.

He will miss not only the Australian series and the Sharjah tri-series in April, but also the tour of Zimbabwe in May. The earliest Kumble can hope to play for India again is on a tour of Sri Lanka in July.

"There was no option. To move ahead in my career, I had to undergo this surgery." Kumble told the daily.

"I'm not going to make a hurried comeback... I know I'll have to religiously follow the rehab programme in the months immediately after surgery. Life won't really be the same again."

The leg-spinner refused to comment whether his five-month stint English county Leicestershiere last year had contributed to the injury.

"Bowling continuously for a decade is bound to cause wear and tear," said Kumble, who first played for India in 1990.

Kumble developed pain in the shoulder during the Sharjah tournament in October, forcing him to miss the home series against Zimbabwe.

Indian captain Sourav Ganguly admitted Kumble's absence against the Australians was a blow, but hoped the team will take it in it's stride.

"We'll have to make do with whoever is at hand," Ganguly said. "Anil would have been a big factor, but there is little we can do. His injury did not look good, so it's not a bolt from the blue."

Copyright AFP 2000