Flintoff to undergo knee surgery

England all-rounder Andrew Flintoff returned home from the Indian Premier League on Friday to undergo surgery on his right knee, ruling him out for up to five weeks to miss the two-test series against West Indies.

The 31-year-old Flintoff was discovered to have slightly torn a cartilage by doctors in South Africa, where the IPL was moved due to security concerns in India, after complaining of soreness while playing for Chennai Super Kings.

Flintoff will undergo an operation next week and is expected to recover from keyhole surgery within three to five weeks. He should be fit to play in the Twenty20 World Cup in England, which starts June 2, and the following Ashes series against Australia.

"Andrew has been extremely unlucky with injuries, but if there is one saving grace it is that the injury has occurred now rather than on the eve of either the ICC World Twenty20 or the Ashes," ECB managing director Hugh Morris said. "Having the surgery now means that Flintoff should be available for both those events, although he is certain to miss the test series against the West Indies."

Flintoff's injury will revive criticism of England's decision to allow its leading players to play in the IPL for two weeks.

"It's not ideal at all and it's something the ECB should have looked at before the event," former England captain Nasser Hussain told Sky Sports.

Flintoff had played two games for Chennai, which was set to play him a record-equaling salary of $1.55 million. "Clearly, this is a huge disappointment for both the player and the IPL team," ECB chief medical officer Nick Peirce said. "This sort of degenerative injury, though, is one that could have happened at any time anywhere."