England pacer Chris Woakes is racing against time to be fit for the Ashes later this year, saying rehabilitation "may be a risk worth taking" over surgery on his dislocated shoulder to keep his hopes alive.
The 36-year-old has undergone scans and is awaiting results but believes an eight-week rehab programme could have him ready for the first Test in Perth on November 21.
"I'm waiting to see what the extent of the damage is but I think the options will be to have surgery or to go down a rehab route and try and get it as strong as possible," Woakes told BBC Sport.
"I suppose naturally with that there will be a chance of a reoccurrence, but I suppose that could be a risk that you're just willing to take sort of thing." Woakes had injured his shoulder while trying to save a boundary on the opening day of the fifth Test against India. He didn't bowl for the rest of the Test and neither did he bat in the first innings.
But despite withering in pain Woakes displayed remarkable bravery, coming out to bat with his left arm in a sling and tucked inside his sweater at the fall of the penultimate wicket with the Test tantalisingly placed.
"From what I've heard from physios and specialists is that the rehab of a surgery option would be closer to four months or three to four months. That's obviously touching on the Ashes and Australia so it makes it tricky.
"From a rehab point of view you can probably get it strong again within eight weeks. So that could be an option, but again obviously still waiting to get the full report on it," he added.
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