Andrew Flintoff

London: England allrounder Andrew Flintoff insists he will return to action better than before despite a fourth operation on his left ankle.

Flintoff, 29, will be sidelined for seven months after undergoing surgery to finally resolve the troublesome injury last week.

Flintoff is convinced Professor Niek van Dijk has identified the problem that threatened to wreck his career.

He laughed off suggestions that he will never regain the form which helped England win the Ashes in 2005.

“I’m absolutely confident I can get back to playing for Lancashire and England again to the level I have in the past,” Flintoff said.

“The surgeon found things wrong in the joint. He removed some bone fragments that were embedded and did some work on the tendon too. Professor Van Dijk is more than happy with what he has done and confident he has got to the bottom of the problem.”

Flintoff will miss England’s forthcoming tours to Sri Lanka and New Zealand while he rehabilitates his ankle and he refuses to put a date on his return.

“I’m not setting any targets about when I might play again. All I’m thinking about is when I can come off the crutches, which should be in a few days. I’m confident I can come back. It will be hard work again but I’ve been through lots of rehab programmes so I know what is involved.”