Bresnan undergoes elbow surgery

Tim Bresnan, the England allrounder, has undergone elbow surgery but is expected to be fit for the start of the Test series against Pakistan in UAE in January.

The operation was to remove a bone fragment which had started to cause Bresnan problems during the one-day series against India in October. After initially giving the injury time to settle the decision was taken that surgery was required.

Bresnan has become a key part of England's team in all three formats and was the senior pace bowler on the recent tour of India with Stuart Broad injured and James Anderson rested. Having played a vital role during the Ashes series victory in Australia, Bresnan then lost his place in the Test team due to a torn calf muscle at the start of the English summer.

However another injury, this time to Chris Tremlett, opened the door for his return against India, at Trent Bridge, where he responded with a vital allround performance scoring 90 in England's second innings then taking a career-best 5 for 48 to bowl out the visitors.

After 10 Tests, all of which have been England victories, Bresnan is averaging 45.42 with the bat and 23.60 with the ball having claimed 41 wickets.

With his ability to extract reverse swing Bresnan will have an important role to play in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, but if he suffers a delay in his recovery England have a strong collection of pace bowlers to call upon. Tremlett is hoping to force his way back into the line-up, Steven Finn was the stand-out performer in the one-dayers against India and Graham Onions is on the fringes of the national side again.