Injured Awana hopes to be fit in time for New Zealand A tour

Although it is not a matter of pride for Awana to sit and nurse his injury,he admits that at least he has a chance to recuperate injuries and niggles properly after a hectic season since November 2011.

“I have played quite a long season and now due to this injury I need to spend a few days at home relaxing,” he said. Awana is doing his best to make a return to full training soon so that he does not miss out further on his A team duties,which will restart in September.

For now,Awana’s priority is to let his injury heal as quickly as possible,as he hopes to get back to training within a week’s time. “My doctor has put me on a very intense rehabilitation schedule,I am doing a lot of exercises to strengthen my hamstring,” said Awana. His post rehabilitation routine consists of endurance runs supplemented with sessions of gym that will help his body to last the rigours of the next season.

The hamstring injury put paid to any hopes that Awana might have had of playing a role in the T20s and the ODIs that followed the unofficial Tests. “I was confident of putting up a good show as I had done well in the domestic one-dayers as well as in the IPL,” said Awana. However,he also said that one of the reasons he had to miss the first T20 was that the team management decided to play Bhuvaneshwar Kumar,Ashok Dinda and Mohammed Shami Ahmed considering their performances in the Tests. At the same time,had he been lucky in getting the visa on time,perhaps Awana could have performed with a similar promise.

Awana,despite his busy schedule treating his injury,is also enjoying the trappings that his newly found stardom has brought him. “I am getting invited to a number of events as a guest,earlier people in the village knew me,now it seems I have become quite famous,” he said.