Balaji on path to recovery; patiently awaiting re-entry

Bangalore, Aug 6 (UNI) Medium pacer Lakshmipathy Balaji, dropped from team India due to injury over a year ago, is in the last stage of his rehabilitation and is patiently waiting to stage a comeback.

Twenty five-year-old Balaji, who had been taking treatment for back ache was in no hurry to make a re-entry. and did not want to rush things at this point of time.

Talking to reporters, Balaji, who was here to attend the four-day 'Cricket Skill' camp organised for Team India players to prepare for the coming tri-series in Sri Lanka, said ''Actually I am in the final phase of the rehabilitation process and nearing my full run-up. I am very happy the way my bowling is coming out and I have bowled to a lot of batsmen too. So I am feeling that I am getting back to good line and length. I need to finetune little things and I don't want to rush things at this point of time.'' Though Balaji was not a part of the team selected for the tri-series, he had joined the camp on a direction from the BCCI Selection Committee.

He said ''I am concentrating on building match fitness. I need to play a couple of matches for that and I am hoping to do exactly that in the coming weeks.'' Stating that he wanted to climb step by step and not hurry up, Balaji said ''I am waiting for the advice from Team Bio-mechanist Ian Frazer and Physio John Gloster to take any decision. If I get the reen signal from them, I will prepare myself for match experience and try to play whatever matches I can in the forthcoming season.'' MORE MSP RG PM RN2032