Lynn surgery puts Big Bash in doubt

Chris Lynn is in serious doubt for the KFC Big Bash League and most of the Australian summer after he underwent shoulder surgery this week.

Brisbane Heat confirmed today that Lynn could face up to seven months on the sidelines, which would rule him out of action until the end of March.

"We’ll obviously do what is necessary to assist him in his recovery and keep him involved as we get closer to this season’s BBL," said Brisbane Heat General Manager Andrew McShea.

"The time frames with this sort of injury aren’t always hard and fast and so we’ll avoid putting any unnecessary pressure or expectations on Chris as he recovers."

Lynn told The Courier Mail on Sunday that he was optimistic of returning in time for the BBL, but he would need to make a faster-than-expected recovery in order to play for the Heat this summer.

Having spoken to fellow Queenslander and rugby league star Johnathan Thurston, who also recently had shoulder surgery, Lynn was confident that his injury problems were now behind him.

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"Having seen someone like Johnathan Thurston go through something similar during the State of Origin series, I am confident that I’ve made the right call to have this fixed now," he said.

"I had been able to get through my shoulder problems with careful management before now, but long-term this is the best thing.

"There’s never an ideal time to be injured but I can re-set my goals now and focus on getting strong and healthy, and then getting back to doing what I love which is playing the game."

While Lynn's luckless run of injuries has meant he's barely been spotted in first-class or one-day cricket over the past four years, he's established a reputation as one of the biggest and most exhilarating hitters in the 20-over game.

Lynn has amassed almost 1500 domestic T20 runs in Australia, India and the Caribbean over the past 18 months, averaging more than 56 and striking at almost 160 runs per 100 balls.

He was picked in Australia's 15-man squad for the recent ICC Champions Trophy, but didn't play a game during the tournament.