SYDNEY, Feb 1: The Australian surgeon who operated on Muttiah Muralithan's shoulder said the Sri Lankan spinner's injury is not as bad as initially feared and he may still play in the test series with New Zealand in April.

Muralitharan travelled to Melbourne to see David Young, Sri Lanka Cricket's surgeon, straight after playing in a three-match tsunami fundraising series in New Zealand last month, during which he complained of severe pain in his bowling shoulder.

The 32-year-old off-spinner underwent an arthroscopy on the shoulder, which was operated on last August to drain a painful cyst, on Monday after an MRI scan showed a tendon tear.

However, Young said there was no serious damage and Muralitharan may be able to return sooner than the 10-week layoff the bowler had originally been told to expect. "He's an outside chance (to play against New Zealand)," Young told Australian Associated Press on Tuesday.

"It's a partial tear, he doesn't need it repaired and he will head home on Friday." Sri Lanka's tour of New Zealand was postponed because of the Asian tsunami but two tests have since been rescheduled for April. -Reuters