NEW DELHI, March 13: India’s pace spearhead Zaheer Khan on Thursday opted out of the upcoming home Test series against South Africa, saying he was not fully fit for top class cricket.

Zaheer, 30, has not played for India since the first Test against Australia in Melbourne in December due to an ankle injury and underwent rehabilitation at a Johannesburg sports medicine centre.

“I feel I am not yet ready for international cricket,” the left-arm seamer said. “I have started bowling but I have been asked by doctors not to push it.

“One of the reasons I am not ready for Tests matches is because I have to bowl 30-35 overs across five days. Doctors have advised me to start with one-dayers and club games.”

South Africa arrive in India later this month for three Tests in Chennai (March 26-30), Ahmedabad (April 3-7) and Kanpur (April 11-15).

Zaheer said he will be fit to play in the multi-million dollar Indian Premier League’s Twenty20 competition starting on April 18.

The seamer, who has 170 Test and 201 one-day wickets, has signed up with IPL’s Bangalore franchise for $450,000.—AFP