Stuart Broad confirmed he would be undergoing surgery on a longstanding right knee injury after taking six wickets to leave England well-placed in the fourth Test against India at Old Trafford on Thursday.
However, Broad insisted he would see out the remainder of a five-Test series currently in the balance at 1-1.
And with the recovery time from an operation estimated at 14 weeks, Broad was also confident he would be fit in time for next year's World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, which starts in February.
Broad, after taking six for 25 in 13.4 overs as India were dismissed for just 152 on Thursday's first day, told reporters: "It's been confirmed I'm going to have an op.
"The timing is not confirmed but the fella is flying over from Sweden after the Oval Test (the India series finale) to have a look.
"It will either be after that Test or after the one-day series, depending on what he suggests.
"At any stage in the last 18 months I could have had the op and it's at the stage where it needs to be done."
Broad added: "I should be fine (for the World Cup)...it's about three, three-and-a half months.
"It's actually a really good opportunity for me to get the knee sorted and to use it as a strength and conditioning period."
India's innings contained a Test record-equalling six ducks, including three of their top four batsmen, with Broad starting a collapse that saw the tourists slump to eight for four when he dismissed recalled opener Gautam Gambhir.
Broad's haul, in his 73rd Test, saw him move past his friend Graeme Swann, the now retired off-spinner, into sixth place in England's all-time list of most successful Test bowlers with 261 wickets.
Meanwhile James Anderson, Broad's new-ball partner, closed to within nine of Ian Botham's England record of 383 Test wickets following a return of three for 46 on his Lancashire home ground.
"It's always nice to move up the list and I'm sixth now," said Broad.
"But it's all eyes on Jimmy at the minute. He needs nine or 10 to beat Beefy (Botham). That will be hugely exciting and I want to be around when that occurs.
"For him to be the first (English) bowler to 400 would be pretty special."
- Defiant Dhoni -
India's plight would have been worse but for a defiant 71 featuring 60 runs in boundaries from captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who opted to bat first in initially overcast, swing-friendly, conditions on a quick pitch.
"He's probably the world's best at batting with the tail," Broad said of Dhoni.
"He played beautifully today, he left really well and attacked when he needed to."
At stumps England were 113 for three, 39 runs adrift, with Ian Bell, who scored a hundred in England's 266-run third Test win at Southampton, 45 not out.
"If we can bat like Dhoni did, we'll put ourselves in a strong position," Broad said.
"If we get one batsman who gets a hundred we'll be in a fantastic position in this Test match."
Ravichandran Ashwin marked his return to the Test side by being one of just three India batsmen to make double figures on Thursday, his quickfire 40 coming in a seventh-wicket partnership of 66 with Dhoni.
"They bowled really well and exploited the conditions," said Ashwin, who insisted all was far from lost for India.
"There have been such situations before, Bombay (Mumbai) have been zero for five and managed to take the Ranji Trophy from there, that's where my motivation came from."
Source: AFP