Mitchell Marsh, a top Australian all-rounder, has chosen to have surgery on his ankle to stay healthy for the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup.

According to the ICC, the 31-year-old Marsh’s choice would result in his missing the full summer of cricket in Australia due to injury.

Marsh has experienced ongoing ankle problems, and the constant soreness nearly prevented him from competing in the T20 World Cup on home soil.

To regain full fitness, the 31-year-old will undergo keyhole surgery to remove loose bone fragments and replace cartilage.

Marsh traveled with Australia on its most recent tour of Asia, which included a two-match series against Sri Lanka in July, despite not being chosen for the home Test team to face the West Indies.

Since the 2019 Ashes, Marsh hasn’t participated in a Test match, but the all-rounder was eager to travel to India for Australia’s Border-Gavaskar series, which is crucial for the country’s bid for the World Test Championship.

In a statement, George Bailey, the head of the Australian selection committee, said: “Mitchell is an essential component of our teams, and we will assist him during his recuperation period. We are confident he will be ready for Australian selection for the ODI series against India in March.

Mitchell’s capacity to recuperate from the treatment swiftly and restart his all-around abilities is crucial to our ability to achieve our goals for the future year and beyond.

Marsh joins fellow all-rounder Glenn Maxwell in watching from the sidelines due to an unexpected injury sustained in mid-November.

Following Australia’s dismal T20 World Cup defense, Maxwell took a harmless fall and broke his left fibula at a friend’s house.