Tom Curran facing lengthy absence due to lower back stress fracture

The England and Surrey allrounder returned early from the Big Bash League with a hotspot on his back. Scans have now revealed the full extent of the damage

Tom Curran faces a lengthy spell on the sidelines after scans revealed he has suffered a lower back stress fracture.

He will now undergo a period of rehabilitation at The Oval under the guidance of Surrey's medical team.

The 26-year-old has been ruled out for a number of months and is not expected to play again before the start of the 2022 T20 Blast.

While some dates are known, the full calendar for the new county season has yet to be published. In a draft schedule seen by The Cricketer, the Blast is due to get underway on May 25.

Curran returned early from a spell with Sydney Sixers at the Big Bash League with a troublesome hotspot on his back. He played in just four matches having missed the whole of the last campaign due to Covid-19 travel restrictions.

^{Tom Curran was playing for Sydney Sixers in the BBL when the issue was first highlighted (Steve Bell/Getty Images)}

He was subsequently omitted from the England squad due to face West Indies in five T20s later this month.

It is now expected he will be absent for the start of the domestic campaign including the opening rounds of the County Championship. He has not played a first-class match since April 2019.

The hope will be that he can recapture full fitness in time for England men's white-ball outings this summer. They face Netherlands in three ODIs in June before home series against India and South Africa in July.

Brother Sam Curran is sidelined with an identical injury that forced him to miss the men's T20 World Cup and the Ashes.