NEW DELHI (Reuters)
Indian batsman Vangipurappu Laxman has recovered from knee surgery and will be available for next month's Test series in South Africa. "I am much stronger, as I was before (the injury). Now I have to keep doing the exercises regularly," Laxman told Reuters by phone from the southern city of Hyderabad.

Laxman, who hit an Indian Test record score of 281 to set up the shock home series win over Australia early this year, underwent arthroscopy on his right knee in a Sydney clinic on August 17 before returning home on Tuesday.

The batsman suffered a ligament tear in July during a one-day triangular tournament in Sri Lanka. The injury forced him out of a subsequent three-Test series won 2-1 by Sri Lanka. He was also ruled out of a one-day triangular tournament in South Africa starting on Friday.

"I was about 90 percent fit. But I wanted to be 100 per cent before returning," said Laxman. "When I started the physiotherapy, I was hoping to make it to the one-day team. But I consulted the doctor and physio who felt it wouldn't be fair to push me directly into international competition."

The Indian batting struggled in the Sri Lankan Tests, with Sachin Tendulkar also ruled out with a foot injury. Laxman said he had been training with New South Wales for the last two weeks while being monitored by the team's physiotherapist, Patrik Farrar. He plans to play league matches in Hyderabad this week.

The Indian squad has been hit by a spate of injuries, leading to unprecedented fitness tests being carried out before the players left for South Africa on September 24. Left-arm pacemen Ashish Nehra and Zaheer Khan are also hoping to make the Test squad after being sidelined for the one-day series because of leg injuries.

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