MELBOURNE: Cricket Australia has withdrawn Mitchell Johnson from the start of the Champions League Twenty20 to allow the aggressive fast bowler to recover from a rib injury.

Johnson plays for India’s Kings XI Punjab, and might be released to play in the latter stages of the tournament which starts this week and culiminates in a final at Bangalore on Oct 4.

In a statement on Wednesday, Australia physio Alex Kountouris said Johnson had some rib pain during the recent one-day international tri-series in Zimbabwe.

Kountouris said Johnson “has had a break from bowling since returning to Australia and having regular treatment to resolve the problem. He has not fully recovered as yet and will be reviewed over the next week.”

Published in Dawn, September 18th , 2014