Virender Sehwag is heading to London for a surgery on his injured right shoulder. The decision not only rules him out of the remainder of the Indian Premier League, but also out of the tour of the West Indies starting on the first week of June.
Besides, the surgery could also put a big question mark on his availability for the England tour, which is scheduled to begin immediately after the Caribbean tour that ends on July 10.
The Delhi Daredevils skipper decided to go for surgery after he felt some discomfort in the last match against the Mumbai Indians on May 7. "He complained of some pain after the last match. When the team physiotherapist checked on it, he felt the injury needed some advanced treatment," said Delhi Daredevils CEO Amrit Mathur.
Incidentally, it's the same injury that has been troubling him since the T20 World Cup in England in 2009. Subsequently, he missed out on last year's World T20 in the West Indies. He also pulled out of the ODI series in South Africa early this year to manage the injury and make sure he is fit to play in the World Cup.
With the recurring problem, surgery was always a question of 'when' rather than 'if'. He played the World Cup with the injury - it didn't allow him to bowl in the tournament- and then the IPL as well. "I will continue to play with it as long as it doesn't hurt," Sehwag had said a few days back when asked how bad the injury was.
{{/usCountry}}With the recurring problem, surgery was always a question of 'when' rather than 'if'. He played the World Cup with the injury - it didn't allow him to bowl in the tournament- and then the IPL as well. "I will continue to play with it as long as it doesn't hurt," Sehwag had said a few days back when asked how bad the injury was.
{{/usCountry}}His decision comes after the Daredevils' hopes of making it to the play-offs sank following their defeat against Mumbai Indians on Saturday.
Apart from the struggling Daredevils, India too will feel the pain of Sehwag's injury as the dashing opener will miss the Caribbean series and will be in a race to get fit for England tour that starts on July 15.
“An extensive rehab is needed after a shoulder surgery. Even a minor surgery requires a minimum of three-month rehab,” said Ashok Ahuja, former head of the Medical Department Wing at National Institute of Sports, Patiala.
“The rehab is even more extensive for a cricketer for it takes time to re-develop the explosive power,” said Ahuja. That suggests that Sehwag could miss at least some part of the England series as well.