Georgia Wareham ruled out of Ashes, World Cup and Commonwealth Games

22-year-old Wareham ruptured her ACL during a Women's Big Bash League game between the Melbourne Renegades and Adelaide Strikers in Hobart on October 20. She had previously injured the same knee as a teenager and required a synthetic ligament reconstruction.

Cricket Australia's medical staff have confirmed that Wareham will now require two rounds of surgery to repair the knee, meaning she will be unable to play for much of the next year.

Last week, Wareham had the previous graft surgically removed. She will now have to wait for that to heal before undergoing a full knee construction in the early part of next year.

"Due to her previous history, Georgia requires a two-stage process to reconstruct her left ACL," Australian Team Doctor, Pip Inge, said in a statement. "She had a knee arthroscopy in Adelaide last week to remove the previous graft and will now commence rehab in Melbourne while she awaits for the knee to be ready for the ACL reconstruction in early 2022."

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"Due to the recovery time, Georgia will be unavailable for the Ashes, World Cup and Commonwealth Games with her return to play time-frame expected to become clearer after the reconstruction."

Since her international debut in September 2019, Wareham has become a permanent fixture in Australia's squads, as a key member of the spin contingent also consisting of Jess Jonassen, Sophie Molineux and Ashleigh Gardner. She has taken 61 wickets in 59 matches for Australia across formats, recently making her Test debut against India.

This is another big blow to Wareham's career after she suffered a stress reaction in her lower that ruled her out of the WBBL last year. More recently, in the second ODI against India, she pulled her quad and was unable to bowl through the innings.

Australia will face England in the Women's Ashes early next year, with the Test match to kick off the series in Canberra. Following three T20Is and three ODIs, both teams will head off for the World Cup in New Zealand in March-April. That event will be followed by the historic " rel="noopener noreferrer">Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, the first time women's cricket will be included in the event.

Wareham's absence now opens the door for leg-spinners Amanda-Jade Wellington and Alana King, both of whom have shown splendid form over the last couple of years. Wellington, in particular, has enjoyed a very successful few months, playing a key role in Southern Brave's run to the final in The Hundred competition over in England.