Brad Hodge hopeful of return from knee injury for Big Bash League start Brad Hodge has been given encouraging advice by the same specialist who operated on Carlton star Chris Judd. A week after Brad Hodge's career seemed in peril, after a brutal on-field collision with Shane Watson, the limited-overs specialist is optimistic he will recover from the resulting knee injury in time for the Big Bash League. Hodge was in sparkling form for Rajasthan at the Champions League Twenty20 when he was injured in the last over of its semi-final victory against Chennai, at home in Jaipur in India. He and teammate Watson were fielding on either side of a ball hit to point but did not allow for the other's presence. When Watson crouched to collect the ball his hefty frame collided with Hodge, who was left writhing on the ground clutching his right knee. The 38-year-old said he "absolutely" feared he had torn his anterior cruciate ligament, and that when he was taken to hospital immediately afterwards he contemplated his 20-year career could be over. I've never felt a [comparable] knee injury before. It felt pretty substantial . . . straight away," said Hodge, who has since returned to Melbourne. When Hodge realised he would be sidelined for the Royals' Champions League final against Mumbai he said his immediate thoughts turned to Hawthorn AFL player Brendan Whitecross, who a fortnight earlier had suffered a serious knee injury that caused him to miss the Hawks' premiership win. Hodge said the subsequent diagnosis of medial ligament damage in his right knee was "probably the best-case scenario for a knee injury," despite the likely recovery period of 2-3 months. It's pretty sore. Watto's not the smallest person in the world," he said. It's as good as it could have been. It was a bit of an ugly incident. I thought with my AFL background I wouldn't come off second best, but I have done. Someone said 'How long's Watto out for? Going on your injury he must be out for three or four years based on his record. It was a good, light-hearted comment. Hodge, the clear leading run-scorer for Australian domestic one-day and Twenty20 matches, said he had been emboldened by his knee surgeon, David Young, having been involved in Carlton captain Chris Judd returning from injury for the AFL finals within a month of the club conceding his season was over. He said that was a key reason he had not given up on playing for Melbourne Stars in its December 20 BBL season opener against Melbourne Renegades. It'd have to be touch and go though. I think I'll be right," he said. The doctor from Mumbai said 10-12 weeks, but the good thing was [Dr Young] said 'I got 'Juddy' back in time for the finals with something similar . . . I'll have you back in six weeks'. In the past two years Hodge, who no longer represents Victoria, has prepared for the BBL by playing limited-overs club cricket for Melbourne. He conceded he may not have the opportunity to do so this year but said he has played enough Twenty20 competitions out of season to be ready to represent the Stars even without extensive preparation. He cited the recent Champions League, when he made 46 not out from 23 deliveries, 52 not out from 23 and then 11 from nine for Rajasthan in his three innings before his injury. "I hadn't played cricket at all since the IPL [in May] and I just trained really hard for about a week leading into the tournament," Hodge said. I think my experience [will mean] there's no problem there. I've learned now you don't actually need to be training for a long period of time. Half the time it is it mental. You've just got to get your mind on hitting the cricket ball in the middle of the bat. Meanwhile, the Stars are poised to announce the signing of Victorian paceman Scott Boland to complete its 18-man squad for the upcoming BBL season. The 24-year-old right-armer has forced his way up the state's pace pecking order in the past two years, playing nine Ryobi Cup matches and six in the Sheffield Shield in that period. He was a member of the Stars' supplementary squad last season but from there was poached by Hobart, although he did not play a match for the Hurricanes. The signing of Boland will give the Stars' a deep pace attack. Their other pace options of Lasith Malinga, Clint Mckay, Jackson Bird, John Hastings and Daniel Worrall.