CHENNAI SUPERKINGS

Lakshmipathy Balaji, who has been sidelined from cricket for nearly a year and a half with a stress fracture of the back, has been signed on by the Chennai Super Kings. The lanky swing bowler has featured in recent TNCA first division matches, bowling short spells.

Chennai Super Kings chief selector VB Chandrasekhar said, while announcing Balaji’s inclusion, "we have pitchforked him in our team as an additional bowler. He has been in action after recovery from injury in the TNCA's first division matches this season."

"Balaji has been effective in two spells of ten overs, though he has not been tried on the trot. He is surely going to be a lethal weapon in our scheme of things in the Twenty 20 IPL matches," he said.

Balaji was last in action during the 2006 Irani Trophy match, and the Challenger series that followed. His last game for India came in 2005, during the Indian Oil Cup in Sri Lanka.

Posted by Kevin Philip at 11:28 AM