Curran unsure of return date after IPL withdrawal

England and Surrey all-rounder Sam Curran says there is no timeframe on his return from a groin injury that has ruled him out of the Indian Premier League.

Curran was set to play for Rajasthan Royals in this year's IPL but pulled out earlier this month, with the nature of his injury initially unspecified.

The 27-year-old revealed he had been managing a groin problem throughout England's run to the T20 World Cup semi-finals and scans have revealed damage that requires rest and rehabilitation.

"It's an injury that I've kind of been battling with a little bit," Curran said. "It has gradually got fractionally worse.

"I went for a couple of scans and it showed reasonable damage, so I had to make the tough decision. It was hindering me quite a bit.

"To miss the IPL was very disappointing, and now I guess I just have a rehab block of trying to get strong and fit for whenever it feels right."

Curran played in all eight of England's matches at the T20 World Cup, impressing at times particularly at the death with the ball against Nepal and Italy.

His England team-mate Ben Duckett is facing a ban from the IPL, having pulled out this week to focus on his Test career.

With Curran's withdrawal caused by an injury problem backed up by medical reports, he faces no such issues.

He appears unlikely to feature imminently for Surrey in the County Championship, which starts next week, and would not say whether he will be fit to lead his county in the T20 Blast, which begins in late May.

"It's all going to come down to symptoms," Curran said.

"It is obviously still a way off from that.

"I guess it is probably my first time to do a bit of rehab now back in England; it will be tough to watch the IPL because I know that I'd like to have been there, but injuries are part of sport."