Former England cricket captain Geoffrey Boycott said today that he is yet to regain full strength after a throat cancer that forced him to take a break from his commentary job a year ago.
The 63 year-old Yorkshireman, one of the world's more successful opening batsmen, who was in New Delhi to feature in a TV programme, also signalled his intention to battle till recovery.
"This is a nice way to make a comeback. I am at 75 per cent strength at the moment," he told reporters after shooting for the programme.
Boycott, however, made it clear that he is not yet ready to resume his job as a commentator, which he felt would be too tedious. "It would be difficult to sit through the entire day while commentating during a Test match or One-Day International. You need to talk for long hours," he said.
Boycott, who amassed 8,114 runs from 108 Tests at an average of 47.72 with a highest score of 246, won the hearts of cricket lovers all over the world with his unique style when he turned to commentary after retirement.
The former captain, who has a special liking for batting maestro Sachin Tendulkar and 'Prince of Calcutta' Sourav Ganguly, calls India his second home. "It is nice to be in India," he said. "It is my second home."
Boycott did not hesitate to comment on India's frantic search for a pair of regular openers ahead of the upcoming series against New Zealand. "I do not see any good opening batsman in India," he said. "Even Sourav and Sachin are not willing to open in Test matches. In one-dayers they don't have any problem in opening since it is altogether a different ball game.
"In one-day matches you can get away with a nick as it may race to the boundary in the absence of a slip. But in Tests, it would be bye bye."
Boycott was dismissive of Yuvraj Singh's recent remark that he is willing to open the innings. "Send him back to Yorkshire," the Yorkshireman said. (Yuvraj Singh was the county's overseas player for this season.)
Asked whether he saw the southpaw in action for his former county, Boycott was at his sarcastic best: "I would have missed his batting had I reached five minutes late," he remarked.
