Chris Woakes: England bowler to have knee surgery in bid to make T20 World Cup
Last updated on .From the section Cricket
England bowler Chris Woakes will have a knee operation this week in a bid to be fit for the T20 World Cup in October.
Woakes, 33, has not played a first-team county or international match since England's defeat by West Indies in Grenada in March because of injury.
The Warwickshire player said he will be out for between four and six weeks if nothing "too serious" emerges during surgery.
"It's been a frustrating summer," Woakes told BBC Sport.
"You never really want to be missing cricket, especially in the summer in England.
"But, in a way, I'm happy I've decided to have the surgery and try and get whatever's wrong right, and get back as soon as possible.
"If they go in and expect nothing to be too serious it should be four to six weeks. So fingers crossed I will be back to competitive cricket soon,"
Woakes, who has also been struggling with an ankle injury, returned to competitive action in a Warwickshire second XI match last month.
He is one of several England pace bowlers currently sidelined, with Mark Wood having further elbow surgery last week.
Jofra Archer is out with a back stress fracture, as are Matthew Fisher and Saqib Mahmood, however seamer Ollie Robinson has made his return from back problems for Sussex this week.
Olly Stone has been ruled out for four to six weeks after breaking a finger while trying to regain match fitness on second XI duty for Warwickshire.
Woakes played in the 2021 T20 World Cup last autumn, England's 4-0 Ashes defeat in the winter and all three Tests in the Caribbean.
England's first game of the 2022 T20 World Cup is against Afghanistan in Perth on 22 October.
