Jaques goes under the knife

Phil Jaques hopes to return to domestic duty for New South Wales late this season

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Australia opener Phil Jaques has undergone surgery on the back injury which cut short his tour of India.

Jaques, who returned home last week due to a bluging disc in his back, was replaced by Western Australian Shaun Marsh in the Test squad.

He went under the knife yesterday and will play no part in the forthcoming international summer in Australia.

Specialists agreed having surgery was the best option for the 29-year-old New South Welshman, who hopes to work his way back into the Test side in 2009.

"The specialists advised me this is a very serious back injury and my only option was to get it operated on as soon as possible," Jaques said.

"I am hoping that with the correct rehabilitation I can play the last few matches of the interstate season, get some batting under my belt and push for selection on Australia's tour to South Africa next year.

"While this is incredibly disappointing at the moment, my sole focus is on getting back to playing for Australia as soon as possible."

Jaques enjoyed a memorable recent home summer of cricket against Sri Lanka and India, recording five scores over 50 - including two centuries - in succession.

But despite hitting a century in the third and final Test in the West Indies earlier this year, Jaques was overlooked in favour of fit-again Matthew Hayden in the current four-Test series in India.

That job went to Simon Katich, Jaques' opening partner in the West Indies, who averaged 63, including two hundreds in the Caribbean.