"It's challenging and the older you get, you wonder whether you should put yourself through it again"
Tuesday 15 January 2019 15:41, UK
Katherine Brunt says the past year has been "one of the most challenging" of her career as she prepares to return to the England Women's side ahead of this summer's Ashes series.
The 33-year-old seamer was part of England's successful World Cup campaign in 2017 but a recurring back injury meant she missed the Women's World T20 in the Caribbean at the end of last year.
However, she hopes to be back - fully fit and firing - for what she considers the most prestigious event for any England cricketer.
"For me, the Ashes are bigger than the World Cup," she told Sky Sports. "It's the biggest event that I like to be a part of when I'm playing for England."
If Brunt can return and rediscover her best form, win or lose in the Ashes, it will represent a significant achievement after a year in which she admitted that she had wondered whether she would ever play again.
"I have thoughts like that often, and a lot of this is quite hard," she said. "It's challenging and the older you get, you wonder whether you should put yourself through it again.
"But I still have the passion for it, I still love doing what I do and as long as the doctors are saying that what I'm doing is not going to affect the rest of my life, then I'm happy to carry on as long as I have that desire to play.
"It's been one of the most challenging years I've ever had. I've obviously had a lot of issues with my back in the past but I've managed to grab a good four and a half years out of it, up to this point, so it's been very difficult.
"I've had a lot of pain and discomfort, a lot of standing to one side and watching the team, which has been really difficult, but the staff have been brilliant.
"Our physios here - Anna and Susan - have been brilliant with me and helped me to keep perspective because any athlete will know that when you're going through major rehab, it's a dark place to be and you can't quite see the other side of it.
"Ninety per cent of this is hard work and failing and then 10 per cent is the elation of playing and winning."
Before the Ashes begin in July, England Women face a tour to India in February, travel to Sri Lanka in April, and then host the Windies in June.
Watch the ICC Cricket World Cup, the Ashes and the Women's Ashes live on Sky Sports Cricket in 2019! Before then, watch every ball of England's Test and ODI series against Windies - starting with the first Test on Wednesday, January 23.
