Katich suffers achilles tendon injury, forcing him out of Ashes series

SYDNEY - Australia’s opening batsman Simon Katich suffered an achilles tendon injury during Australia’s crushing second Test loss to England in Adelaide.

Katich has been ruled out of the remainder of the Ashes series and at the age of 35 he realises his battle to win back his Test spot.

“Three years ago, I was told I wasn’t going to play again. So this to me, I don’t know how it will be viewed - I haven’t spoken to selectors so I don’t know what their thoughts are,” he said on Tuesday, referring to 2007 when his national contract wasn’t renewed.

“Obviously my age will be a factor but I haven’t looked at it like that in the last few years because the last two and a half years of my career have been my best regardless of my age,” The Sydney Morning Herald quoted Katich, as saying.

“So I don’t see that as being the be-all and end-all of whether I make it back or not. There’s obviously a lot of factors but I will do everything I can to try and play Test cricket again,” he said.

Katich’s achilles injury flared in the Ashes opener in Brisbane, but he was adamant over his fitness to play the Adelaide Test.

“I went into this Test feeling fine but unfortunately having spent that amount of time out in the field and chasing the balls that I did, it got to the point where it was pretty unbearable to just even be walking around,” he said.

Australian captain Ricky Ponting said Katich’s injury was a “big loss”.

“He has been one of the leading openers in international cricket, certainly in Test cricket, since he forced his way back into the team. His record I’m sure would stack up against most other opening batsmen around the world,” Ponting said. (ANI)