England allrounder Sam Curran has been ruled out for the remainder of the summer after suffering a groin injury that requires surgery.
Surrey confirmed that Curran has undergone medical assessment and will have groin surgery on Friday, August 21. The injury is another setback for the 28-year-old, who had been hoping to revive his Test career after last playing the format in 2021.
Test Comeback Put on Hold
Curran was being considered as a potential option for England’s Test team following Ben Stokes’ retirement. With Joe Root leading the side, selectors viewed Curran as a player who could provide balance with both bat and ball.
However, his fitness concerns had already prevented him from being selected for England’s first two Tests against Pakistan.
England selector Marcus North had previously indicated that Curran was dealing with multiple niggles because of his heavy workload. He suggested that the allrounder could potentially become an option for the third Test after working with the team’s medical and support staff.
That possibility has now disappeared following the latest injury setback.
Recurring Groin Problem
The groin issue is not entirely new for Curran.
He missed IPL 2026 because of the same problem and had previously admitted that he had been dealing with the injury for some time.
Curran described the problem as something he had been “battling with a little” before acknowledging that it had gradually become worse.
Despite the injury, he returned to county cricket for Surrey and later featured in England’s home ODI series against India.
He most recently played in The Hundred, where he captained MI London.
Another Blow After IPL Absence
Curran’s absence from the IPL earlier this year had already generated discussion.
Rajasthan Royals director of cricket Kumar Sangakkara expressed disappointment after seeing Curran play for Surrey despite his absence from the IPL.
The latest surgery now means Curran faces another period on the sidelines as he works towards full recovery.
For England, the timing is particularly unfortunate because the team is rebuilding its Test side following Stokes’ retirement and is looking for players capable of contributing in multiple areas.
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Will Jacks Also Unavailable
Curran is not the only Surrey player currently dealing with a fitness problem.
Will Jacks was also absent from Surrey’s squad for their County Championship match on Thursday, August 20, as he continues his recovery from an operation to remove his appendix.
His progress will be monitored before England’s upcoming series against Sri Lanka in September.
A decision on Jacks’ availability will depend on how quickly he recovers from the procedure.
Surrey Face Selection Problems
Surrey’s squad has been stretched by the absence of several key players.
The club recently brought in Mahipal Lomror to cover for Jacks and Dan Lawrence. Curran’s latest injury has now created another significant gap in their squad.
Surrey currently sit seventh in the Division One County Championship standings and will have to manage their resources carefully during the remainder of the season.
For Curran, the immediate priority will be recovering fully from surgery. His hopes of returning to Test cricket will now have to wait until he is able to regain fitness and demonstrate that he can handle the demands of the longest format.