Ben Stokes is highly unlikely to be included in England's squad for the Ashes this winter after undergoing a second surgery on his finger.
Stokes announced this summer that he was taking a break from cricket to focus on his mental health and to allow his finger to heal.
He suffered the injury to the index finger on his left hand in April while playing for the Rajasthan Royals in the Indian Premier League.
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The all-rounder's second surgery took place on Monday and saw him have two screws and scar tissue removed.
The England and Wales Cricket Board said Stokes will now undergo an "intensive period of rehabilitation for the next four weeks" with their medical team.
The 30-year-old is not targeting a specific return date from the injury or his break, with the Ashes series to begin on December 8 in Australia.
Stokes was not included in England's squad for the T20 World Cup, which takes place in the United Arab Emirates in October and November.
Ashes expected to go ahead after quarantine concerns eased
The Ashes is expected to go ahead after concerns over quarantine restrictions for families were eased during positive talks between England players and Cricket Australia.
The tour - taking place in December and January - was in doubt as a number of England's players had issues over how strict restrictions would be when they and their families arrived in Australia.
England and Cricket Australia have held a series of talks in recent weeks, which are set to continue ahead of an England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) meeting on Friday.
The ECB said on Monday it will decide this week whether England will tour Australia.
Local reports suggest families of England's players and staff travelling over the Christmas period will be allowed to quarantine at the Yarra Valley resort in Melbourne.
It is believed they will not be confined to their rooms and that by mid-November the quarantine period for arrivals into Australia could be reduced from 14 days to seven.