Smith ruled out of Champions League

Cape Town (South Africa), July 19 (ANI): South Africa cricket officials have forced Test captain Graeme Smith to withdraw from the Champions League Twenty20 tournament to allow him to fully recover from knee surgery in time for the international season.

According to The Telegraph, Cricket South Africa said Smith would require between six to eight weeks to recover from last week's operation on his right knee.

That ends on before the September 23 start of the Champions League, but the left-handed opener is out of the event as "a precaution."

Smith aggravated an old injury playing for Pune Warriors in the Indian Premier League in April and underwent a successful cartilage operation on Friday, CSA said.

"Although his rehabilitation period will be over by the time the Champions League commences, we feel that he will not be match-ready at the time," Proteas team manager Mohammed Moosajee said.

Moosajee added: "He will now undergo a guided rehabilitation program in the coming weeks and hopefully he will recover in time for the start of a very busy international summer."

The Proteas host Australia in two Tests, three one-dayers and two Twenty20s from October 13, followed by a three-Test and five-ODI series against Sri Lanka. (ANI)