I was gutted to leave IPL but the op went well and I’m in a good place about my return

IT is amazing the difference a few weeks can make.

There is no question that my mood was through the floor after discovering how bad my left index finger injury was as a result of catching Chris Gayle in the deep (below).

It was our opening game of the IPL, and to be told it was already over for me was a huge kick in the teeth.

As sportspeople we have to deal with plenty of disappointment, and this felt like another cruel blow, so I know I wasn’t great to be around for a while.

I also knew I didn’t want to have surgery, but when you’ve got all the medics making a very compelling case to have it done, it is hard to disagree, even for me.

I try to avoid surgery wherever possible because I know it means a longer period out of action and there can be complications that make things worse, so heading back to the UK to have the procedure was not a great feeling.

But as I sit here now, with a splint on my index and middle finger, knowing the operation has been a big success thanks to the skills of my surgeon Doug

Campbell, I’m feeling pretty good about things.

I can’t put a date on when I’ll be playing again, but as long as things progress as well as they have then I should hope it will be well before the three months that was first feared and more like seven, eight, or nine weeks.

You never know for sure how long these things will take because it is not just about the technical side of healing and getting the bone strong, there is the big issue of having confidence in it to play professional sport.

Having the confidence to take an instinctive catch and just sticking your hand out to stop the ball takes a bit of time and I know that won’t just return overnight, you have to build up to it.

I know this because I had exactly the same injury on my right hand 10 years ago that caused me no end of bother and is part of the reason why I was so reluctant to have surgery.

In 2011 I went under the knife twice in the UK to try to get the finger fixed, but when it still wasn’t right I had to go over to the States to see a specialist and get it sorted. It meant I missed so much cricket, and I never want to go through that again. Thankfully it has been done right the first time here.

For now though even the simple things in life are pretty tricky such as putting on a seat belt, or trying to open a door with your pinky and ring fingers. And worst of all there is no Call of Duty for me at the moment.

Luckily though

I have my family around to keep me entertained, and it has been great to be back with them for an unexpected bonus period. A couple of weeks with the kids and you can’t help but have a happier outlook on things.

It was tough to say goodbye to the guys at the Rajasthan Royals earlier than I wanted, but the subsequent suspension of the tournament means everyone is now back early with their families as India tries to get through such a difficult time.

We don’t know if or when the tournament will be rearranged, but as the ECB have said it could be difficult for the England boys to have a free slot.

After this year though, I do look forward to playing a full part again at some point in the future.