Australian bowler Mitchell Starc has conceded that he is unlikely to be fit in time for the ICC World Twenty20, which gets underway in March.
The 25-year-old, who was named the Player of the Tournament at the most recent one-day international World Cup, suffered a stress fracture to his left foot and also underwent ankle surgery in November.
There had been suggestions that the left-armer may be available for the competition in India, but Starc has insisted that he will not rush back.
"I don't want to rush it. I want to make sure it's 100% because I've rushed back before and been dropped after a game," he told Cricket Australia.
"I've played non-stop for nearly two years, so the silver lining is that I get to give the body a bit of a break and get back and rebuild that strength and make sure everything is 100% before I go again.
"It's disappointing I've missed half the summer and the likelihood of a [T20] World Cup, but the silver lining is that I've got everything right and I don't have to play through that ankle injury any more."
The Aussies have been drawn in a group alongside India, New Zealand and Pakistan.
Liam Apicella
