England captain Andrew Strauss said it was wrong to criticise Andrew Flintoff for playing in the Indian Premier League after the all-rounder sustained a knee injury ahead of an Ashes series.

Flintoff underwent yesterday what the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) said was "successful" keyhole surgery on his right knee after the hero of England's 2005 Ashes win injured himself playing for the Chennai Super Kings in South Africa.