MUMBAI, (Reuters) – Sri Lanka fast bowler Lasith  Malinga, whose unique slinging round-arm action brought him 101  wickets in 30 tests, retired from test cricket today in  order to prolong his limited overs career.
Malinga, 27, who is currently playing for the Mumbai Indians  in the Indian Premier League (IPL), said he was fit to play  one-day cricket but needed to carefully manage a “long-standing  degenerative condition in my right knee”.
He had made himself unavailable for Sri Lanka’s forthcoming  tour of England which prompted his board to ask him to return  from the IPL to undergo rehabilitation.
In a statement Malinga said he had sustained a chronic knee  injury in Australia in February, 2008, which prevented him from  playing one-day cricket for 16 months.
“The injury was a career-threatening injury and my  orthopaedic surgeon was of the opinion that given his experience  with other professional athletes in Australia I was very  fortunate to play again,” he said.
“I have since been advised by the national team  physiotherapist and my orthopaedic consultant that my condition  will deteriorate when fielding or bowling for prolonged periods.
“I did try to return to test cricket after a three-year  absence last year following requests from the team management  and the selectors, but it left me unfit and nursing severe knee  pain for two months.”
Malinga said he had realised that the heavy workload of test  cricket could lead to permanent injury and his decision to  retire would help him achieve his goal of representing Sri Lanka  in next year’s Twenty20 World Cup and the 2015 50 overs World  Cup.