Struggling Australian fast bowler Brett Lee has begun a personal crusade to regain his form and be a force in rest of the matches of the Border-Gavaskar series.

Lee has limped through the first part of a misfiring campaign, which has world champions Australia in the unfamiliar position of having to play catch up against India with two Tests to go.

Lee has only four wickets at 59.25 and has been the major worry of a team tormented by an Indian pace attack, creating havoc with reverse swing.

He has gone to ground since an on-field blow-up with skipper Ricky Ponting in Mohali, but has told team staff that he wants to do extra training in Delhi this week while his teammates have their mid-tour break.

That began with a spirited gym session at the team hotel in Delhi as soon as the tourists arrived on Wednesday.

Lee’s program is unlikely to include more bowling, rather he will concentrate on cross-training in a bid to be back at his best in the third Test, beginning next Wednesday. Meanwhile, Australian coach Tim Nielsen has said that it’s not time for Lee or Australia to panic.

“He has come off a break because of his personal issues. He has come off a break without having played cricket in Darwin, missing those three one-dayers (against Bangladesh),” Nielsen said.

''So while he was training at home, he didn’t have the opportunity to play competitive cricket like the other guys have and get back into the swing of things. ''So all those things have added up to him being a little bit off the boil over the first two Tests,” he added.

... contd.