By IANS
London : England all-rounder Andrew Flintoff, who is nursing an ankle surgery, will join the England Lions squad in India Feb 10 as part of his rehabilitation process, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) said here Thursday.
Flintoff, whose left ankle was operated upon for the fourth time in October, was due to fly out to Mumbai with his county side Lancashire in mid-February to take part in a pre-season batting clinic.
But the ECB said that it has changed his travel plans and he will now travel to Baroda first to join the England Lions team taking part in the Duleep Trophy tournament. Flintoff will have the opportunity to work with the English board’s coaching and support staff in India.
“We’re delighted that Andrew Flintoff is in a position to join up with the England Lions,” said David Parsons, the ECB’s performance director and head coach of the England Lions, in a statement.
“His rehabilitation programme is going very well and he’s been working extremely hard over the past few months to get back to full fitness.”
The ECB, however, made it clear that Flintoff, who is eager to make a comeback into the England team for its home series against New Zealand and South Africa, would not play in the Duleep Trophy.
In the 2003-04 too, a team from England had played in the Duleep Trophy.