KOLKATA, April 19: Indian left-arm seamer Ashish Nehra, who underwent a successful surgery on his right ankle in South Africa on Friday is expected to recover a month quicker than expected.

Though Nehra`s international comeback will be against New Zealand in home cricket series, recovering a month earlier would mean he will have more time in getting ready for the international grind.

Initially Dr Sise Perreira gave him five to six months to recuperate, but after the operation he hoped time taken would be somewhere between four to five months. The surgery was not as complicated as feared.

Nehra was operated at Pretoria’s Little Company of Mary Hospital in South Africa. On discharge he would be on crutches for three-four weeks. He would then undergo six weeks of therapy once plaster is removed. In about 15 to 16 weeks he should be able to start workouts.

Others on whom Dr Perreira had wielded his scalpel recently are Allan Donald, Shaun Pollock and Chaminda Vaas.—PPI