Mandeep hoping to be fit before SA tour
CHANDIGARH: Mandeep Singh is at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bangalore to regain match fitness ahead of the India ‘A’ tour to South Africa for an ODI bilateral series from July 26.
The 25-year-old batsman is part of the Manish Pandey-led team which will travel to South Africa. The series was a triangular one, involving South Africa and Australia, but Australia pulled out due to their tussle with Cricket Australia.
Mandeep will board the plane to South Africa after clearing the fitness test. He is doing his rehab under physiotherapist Andrew Leipus.
Towards the end of IPL-10, Mandeep experienced pain in his back. He was suggested surgery but instead he went to the NCA to recover. “It has been six weeks at the NCA. India team physiotherapist Patrick Farhat felt surgery could be avoided and the back could be treated with rest and strengthening. When the India ‘A’ team was to be announced, Andrew saw improvement and gave the selectors the go ahead for my selection. He feels I will regain fitness in time,” said Mandeep, who had a poor IPL.
Not only did Royal Challengers Bangalore finish at the bottom of the table, Mandeep failed to fire with the bat. Known to be a stroke-maker, he had just two significant knocks (46, 52). Soon after, he was diagnosed with disc prolapsed.
“The word surgery rang alarm bells. I was already upset with the IPL performance and the niggling pain in the back made me more upset. I never felt so low in my career. I underwent a mid-career crisis in a way. When I came to the NCA, I was told the back could be treated with rest and strengthening. Knowing this, my motivation came back,” said Mandeep.