Australia all-rounder Andrew Symonds has been warned not to try and rush back from his shoulder injury too soon in order to play in the World Cup.
Symonds has been named in Australia's squad despite undergoing bicep surgery only last week and he looks certain to miss the opening matches of the tournament in the West Indies starting next month.
Australia team doctor Trefor James said Symonds risked permanent damage if he tried to return too soon, adding that his power to throw the ball could be reduced by up to 10 percent.
"The longer the injury is left, the less the risk becomes," James told The Age newspaper. "There will always be some risk.
"It wouldn't mean that he wouldn't be able to continue playing cricket at the level he is playing.
"The thing is that his throwing is such a wonderful part of his skills that if he did lose that, it might make him more at the level of other cricketers rather than stop him from playing."
Symonds will travel with the rest of the world champions' 15-man squad to the Caribbean where he will continue his rehabilitation.
"The shoulder is starting to heal quickly," Symonds said. "I was told if I was going to have problems with it after the surgery, like shoulder freeze or problems with the joint, it would have been in the first 10 days."
"It hasn't done that and it feels really good which hopefully is a good sign of quick healing."
Symonds said playing in the World Cup is a dream worth taking risks for.
"The World Cup is a big deal to me. It's not the end of the world if I snap it again. It can heal and be OK. So I'm not too worried about it if it goes again, because I know it will be OK. If it goes, it goes.
"I've been told I've got to think long-term but I tend to think I'll go one thing at a time. I will play, hopefully, half of the World Cup, if not more."
