England's chairman of selectors David Graveney has vowed Andrew Flintoff will be given all the recovery time he needs after the all-rounder underwent a fourth operation inside three years on his left ankle.
Former vice-captain and premier all-rounder Flintoff underwent surgery in Holland yesterday and, as expected, the England and Wales Cricket Board have confirmed he will miss the Test tour of Sri Lanka which starts next month.
An ECB statement also suggests the 29-year-old is not thought likely to be fit for the tour of New Zealand in February and March next year, leaving his future as an international all-rounder in doubt.
Graveney, however, promised the Lancastrian will be under no time pressure from the governing body.
"We intend to give him as much time as he needs," he said.
"We want to build him up slowly and make sure that when he comes back he is healthy medically and cricket-wise."
The ECB statement confirmed Flintoff underwent keyhole surgery on Friday, performed by Dr Niek van Dijk, and added: "He will now undergo a period of rest and convalescence, followed by a rehabilitation programme.
"It is anticipated that Andrew will be able to resume full training in the new year - and following discussions between the ECB medical team, the England selectors and Andrew, it has been decided that the priority will be for him to regain full fitness ahead of England's domestic international programme in 2008.
"Andrew will not be made available for this winter's Test series in Sri Lanka, and at this stage it is considered unlikely that he will participate in the tour of New Zealand."
Since having his first operation in early 2005, Flintoff has struggled for an injury-free run in either the Test or one-day side and has missed 11 out of the last 16 Tests, including the whole of last summer and the series against West Indies and India.
He has been an even bigger absentee in the one-day format and has been sidelined through injury for 21 of the last 48 one-day internationals, including the final match of the series against Sri Lanka at the Premadasa Stadium.
The latest operation followed his return to action for the home series against India, when he was restricted to just four of the seven matches.
He featured in every game of the ICC World Twenty20 tournament in South Africa but was clearly in pain, even in matches when he only had to deliver four overs.
It prompted England to send him home for further diagnosis, rather than include him in their plans for the Sri Lanka one-day series, to try to find a permanent solution to the problem.
He has been forced to miss cricket for the last two summers through surgery and the ECB statement added: "The decision to carry out further surgery in Holland was taken following extensive consultation with leading international specialists, including those from the UK, Australia and the United States.
"The operation involved the removal of extra bone, including fragments, from the front and back of the ankle, which were causing bony impingement and compression of a tendon in the back of the ankle.
"The nature of these bone changes was such that there were additional difficulties in the normal functioning and stability of the ankle. The operation was carried out by one of the world's leading authorities on arthroscopic ankle surgery."
Flintoff and England can only hope the experts have finally got to the bottom of a condition which has emerged as a serious threat to a notable nine-year career.
England coach Peter Moores, for one, believes that is the case.
"They have found something and operated on it. They think they know what it is," he reasoned, in an interview with Sky Sports.
"They have done an operation which they hope will cure it."
Moores reiterated that England will resist all temptation to hurry Flintoff's recovery period.
"Realistically, the target for him to be back is the domestic Test match series.
"We will not rush it."
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