As we approach Christmas over here in Dubai, I thought it was about time I updated everyone on how my recovery is going from my knee operation. As you will know, it’s been a long, hard slog but I am now finally in sight of returning to cricket training once again.

Having done little else than work in the swimming pool initially, I’ve moved on to a bit more cycling in the last few weeks. I’m actually starting to feel quite fit, but I know there is still a long road ahead before I am ready to play international cricket again. The surgeon and the physio are very pleased with my progress, but every so often I have to remind myself that I have had a major operation and not to get too far ahead of myself. There are no guarantees the operation will be an unqualified success and until I get to the point when I’m back playing again, I’m not going to take anything for granted.

For the moment, though, I’m just really looking forward to starting cricket exercises again, which I hope to start early in the New Year. As long as I don’t have any setbacks, I should be able to start batting against a bowling machine. I won’t be doing anything daft and I will have to ease into it again, but it will be good just to start playing some form of cricket again after all this time and it will be great to start hitting balls again. When all you do is go to the gym every day, you can almost forget that you’re a cricketer.

In the past I’ve never really liked bowling machines, but during last summer I used one quite a lot and I’ve now found a way of using them so I can get a really good practice. The one thing I’ve been thinking about these last few months is how I’m going to approach my batting once I do start playing again. Now I’m only playing the short form of the game, I should have the opportunity to tailor my game towards that. I had a chat with Peter Moores, Lancashire’s coach, when I was back in the UK the other week and we talked through a few of the things I’m going to try and the ways in which I’m going to try and modify my game.

While it’s good to be able to pick up a bat again, I’m still some way away from bowling again just yet. I’ve been given a programme by the surgeon, Andy Williams, and I will be sticking to that. I can’t see me being given the go-ahead to start bowling for a good few weeks yet. One of the things I do want to do when I come back in February for my next check-up is to meet up with the lads at Lancashire and perhaps get involved with some of their training sessions. The surgeon will advise me on what I can and cannot do, but after so long away from a dressing room it will be great to be around the lads again. One of the things I’ve really missed is being around the lads in the dressing room and Dave Roberts, who has been in charge of all my previous rehabilitation regimes, and I now realise how much I’ve relied on them all.

I did break off from my training schedule for a couple of days to fly back and attend the BBC’s Sports Personality of the Year awards night in Sheffield. I took my brother Chris along with me and we both enjoyed it. I was able to catch up with Andrew Chandler, my manager, and a few of the golfers at International Sports Management like Darren Clarke, Paul McGinley and Lee Westwood. I’ll also be seeing my parents again when they fly out to Dubai for Christmas and, as a family, we’re looking forward to having a good time over the festive period.

I hope everyone has a good Christmas and prosperous New Year and I’ll write again soon once I have an update on my recovery.