Just two months after making his England Test debut, Saqib Mahmood suffered a stress fracture of the back which ruled him out for the entire summer.
Mahmood had been hoping to build on an impressive showing against the West Indies, but the 25-year-old managed just one match for Lancashire before breaking down. He is one of a number of England bowlers sidelined at the moment and has emotionally opened up about the struggles of being injured.
Speaking to BBC Sport, Mahmood said: "The worst bit is when you hear the words 'I am afraid it is bad news'. You try and keep your composure.
"After I put the phone down I was sat there in the dining room on my own just crying my eyes out. Everything goes through your head.
"I was thinking about when I would be back playing, whether I would be the same bowler, all of the stuff I am going to miss. I called my dad. I called my brother and he didn't believe me.
"When I got home I told my mum. She stayed quiet. She knows when she goes it makes me go. I was sat watching the Lancs game on the live stream and I saw her in the garden, just sat on her own...
"I didn't want to speak to anyone. I didn't want to stay at home. The news was on the tele as well so I just wanted to get away from it all."
Mahmood also watched England's new-look Test team from afar as Brendon McCullum and Ben Stokes made an immediate impact, winning their first four games in charge. "Day one against New Zealand was the first time it hit home for me because I was watching and at the same time thinking, 'I could have, and potentially should have, been involved in this'," he added.
"It was just the reality hitting home that I am missing out on all of this. It was nice to see England win, having been part of the dressing room and also as a fan, but it was different to how it was in the past."
