DURBAN, April 24: Andrew Flintoff’s misery is complete. The English all-rounder who has had a forgettable IPL-2 returned home after being detected with a torn meniscus in his right knee. He will undergo surgery shortly.

The Chennai Super Kings’ medical staff contacted ECB chief medical officer, Nick Peirce after scans were taken of the right knee in a Durban hospital on Friday. It was decided immediately that Flintoff should return to London.

Talking to this newspaper, a CSK official said: "It is highly unfortunate we have to lose his services this way. He is already taken a flight to London." Flintoff will undergo an operation early next week and doctors are confident that he should recover from the keyhole surgery within five weeks.

Hugh Morris, managing director of the England and Wales Cricket Board in a release said: "He has been extremely unlucky with injuries but if there is one saving grace it is that the injury has occurred now rather than on the eve of either the ICC World Twenty20 or the Ashes."

The surgery effectively rules Flintoff out of the Test series against the West Indies scheduled to start on May 6 at Lords. Flintoff was the most expensive player in the player in the IPL along with Kevin Pietersen, brought at $1.55 million.

He was to be paid on a pro rata basis by the CSK as per IPL guidelines.