Lee to train in India

Brett Lee: likely to be back in action soon © Getty Images

Brett Lee is slated to to visit India next month to get used to the subcontinental pitches before Australia's tour to the country in October. According to a report in The Sun-Herald, an Australian daily, Lee will travel to India with Dennis Lillee and train at the MRF Pace Foundation, where Javagal Srinath will also help him develop the skills needed to succeed on Indian wickets.

Lee is then scheduled to head off to England in mid-August, for a stint of county cricket. The report says that he is most likely to join Surrey, though Middlesex have also made him an offer.

Lee recently underwent ankle surgery after sustaining an injury in Sri Lanka in March, and rejoined the Australian squad prior to the Test at Cairns for a net practice. "He's going to do some work with Lillee in 10 days' time in Brisbane, he's having a bowl with the Australian team in Cairns and hopefully he will be able to play a few county matches as well," said Neil Maxwell, Lee's manager. "The selectors are playing tough but he's pretty relaxed," he added. "The focus is India and it will be interesting to see if he can do that because his recovery is going well and he's got a wider range of movement in the ankle than ever."

Lee, 27, faces a tough battle to get back into the team, following the resurgence of Michael Kasprowicz, his replacement in the Test team. Kasprowicz took 12 wickets in the 3-0 win in Sri Lanka four months ago, and led Australia to an emphatic victory in the first Test at Darwin, taking 7 for 39 in Sri Lanka's second innings.

Lee has been named in Australia's 30-man provisional squad for the Champions Trophy, but is unlikely to make the final cut.