England all-rounder Andrew Flintoff is hoping for an injury-free summer as he heads for his next stint with the Chennai Super Kings in the upcoming Indian Premier League which will be immediately followed up by the World Twenty20.
Since the Ashes 2006-07, Flintoff has only featured in eight Tests for England. He has also played only 24 one-day internationals since then, as injury has mostly forced him out of the game.
He was first affected with an ankle injury and later a hip injury delayed his chances further of making a comeback to the international arena. Flintoff did not play any international cricket between October 2007 and July 2008.
In the recently-concluded winter, England had an abysmal record before they won the ODI series against West Indies.
"It's been a tough winter all round," Flintoff was quoted as saying on BBC Radio Five Live.
"Going to India before Christmas with everything that happened [after the Mumbai terror strike], and coming home and going back, was testing for everyone. There have been lots of things going on. These are long tours.”
Flintoff also admitted that the pressures of travelling relentlessly sometimes take its toll on the touring teams.
“We are proud to play for England but people have got things at home as well and families who you desperately miss when you're away. When you come to the end of a trip, of course people are looking forward to getting home and seeing people you haven't seen for a long time."
Flintoff created history at the IPL auction in January when he, along with teammate Kevin Pietersen, became the highest players purchased at 1.5 million dollars.
Flintoff will represent last years runner-up franchise Chennai Super Kings, who will play the opening match of the IPL against the Mumbai Indians on Saturday.
“I have missed so much cricket through injury that I don't want to miss any more," said Flintoff who was one of the world’s leading all-rounders at one point of time.
"I've not played a lot of Twenty20 cricket and I'd like to play more. I'm not saying the money is not very appealing, but there's a lot more to it.”
"I spent several weeks working very hard at my fitness when I came back from the West Indies and, hopefully, that will stand me in good stead come the summer."
Asked whether he would captain England in the World Twenty20, which immediately succeeds the IPL, Flintoff said, “It'd be something I'd have to think about and see if I could be the best man for the job. I don't think many people would turn it down.”
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