Australia's MacGill vows to play on after surgery

MELBOURNE: Australia leg spinner Stuart MacGill has ruled out retirement and vowed to recover from wrist surgery in time for tours of India, West Indies and Pakistan.   

MacGill is to undergo surgery on his right wrist to alleviate pain and numbness in his bowling hand. He will be out of action for up to six weeks, missing at least the first two home tests against India, the first of which begins in Melbourne on Dec. 26.   

"I definitely plan to play on," MacGill told Cricket Australia's Web site (www.cricket.com.au).   

"I don't think it would be worth my while to have surgery at this point in time unless I could see some future. I'm not prepared to give up now in case I regret it later.   

"My international career and state career have been pretty short and I think I've got quite a bit more to go yet.   

"If I look long-term it (the injury) seems a minor hiccup." MacGill struggled in the recent test series against Sri Lanka, taking just five wickets for 326 runs, though the 36-year-old said the injury had effected him.   

"For a while I've been waking up with numb hands but usually I could shake it off mid-morning," said MacGill.   

"During the last test match (in Hobart) that didn't happen so I knew I couldn't bowl." MacGill, who has spent the majority of his 42-test career in Shane Warne's shadow, took his 200th test wicket against Sri Lanka.   

Australia play a four-match test series against India before a triangular one-day series also involving Sri Lanka begins in February.