London: England all-rounder Andrew Flintoff will join the England Lions squad in India next month in a non-playing capacity in his bid to overcome his ankle injury. The England all-rounder was due to fly to Mumbai with a Lancashire academy squad for a pre-season batting clinic next month, but now he will meet up with the Lions on February 10 in Baroda where the visiting team will feature in a Duleep Trophy fixture.

ECB, however, said Flintoff will not play any part in Lions bid to become the first overseas team to win the Duleep Trophy. England Lions head coach and ECB Performance Director said Flintoff's trip will provide him with an excellent opportunity to receive support from the ECB's coaching and science and medicine support staff.

"We are delighted that Andrew Flintoff is in a position to join up with the England Lions. His rehabilitation programme is going very well and he's been working extremely hard over the past few months to get back to full fitness," said Parsons.

"This trip will provide him with an excellent opportunity to receive support from the ECB's coaching and science and medicine support staff." The official 14-man Lions squad departed for India on 23 January, with spinner Monty Panesar.

Flintoff last played for England in the Twenty20 World Cup in September last year and had his fourth ankle operation a month later.

Source : PTI