"I have been going through this terrible stomach pain since we landed in South Africa in January. I recently consulted specialists and they say I could be having hernia which might require surgery," Ajmal told PTI today.
He said this was the reason he had not turned out for his native Faisalabad Wolves side in the ongoing National Super Eeights T20 championship underway in Lahore.
"I have not been feeling well for a while now and obviously I can't enjoy my cricket. I am in low spirits. I will have another detailed examination next week to find out if I will require surgery but right now I am on medications," he said.
"It was disappointing we couldn't finish off the Test with a win," he said.
Ajmal said he would undergo surgery before the team leaves for Ireland and Scotland in late May to prepare for the ICC Champions Trophy in England in June.
"I don't want to miss the Champions Trophy and we have a hectic schedule ahead of us this year, so it is imperative I am 100 per cent fit to carry the heavy workload in bowling," he said.
Ajmal, 35, said the specialists he had consulted told him that such suspected hernia problems were common in sportsmen and were brought on by a mixture of stress and heavy workloads.
"It only got worse in South Africa and I also started feeling pain in my groin that is when I realised it was something I needed to consult specialists about," he added.
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