'I think I could get rid of my second toe' - Brydon Carse reveals he considered toe amputation to tackle injury woes

England speedster Brydon Carse has revealed that he once contemplated amputating a toe to deal with a recurring and painful injury that kept him out of action for several months.

Carse has established himself as one of England's most promising seam-bowling prospects with 27 wickets in just five Tests at an average of 19.85. The 29-year-old has also been named in the 14-man squad for the opening Test against India, beginning on June 20 at Headingley, Leeds.

He developed deep, infected cuts on the second toe of his left foot due to the repeated impact of his front-foot landing while bowling. The issue, which flared up during England's white-ball assignment in India earlier this year, forced him to miss the Champions Trophy and sidelined him for three months.

"At one stage I was going to bed thinking, 'I think I could actually do this - I think I could get rid of my second toe,' but then the medical staff said you need it for balance, so that was quickly ruled out," Carse told the BBC.

Carse incorporated unorthodox methods to sort out the long-standing injury woe: switching to narrower boots, adding custom insoles, and cutting a hole in his shoe to relieve pressure on the affected toe.

"For a period of about six to eight weeks, I was on three or four different courses of antibiotics," he said. "Eventually the wound was that deep that it ultimately needed a period of time just to heal up and close up."

There were even initial discussions about plastic surgery after his Champions Trophy campaign in Pakistan ended abruptly. However, adequate rest worked wonders, and he made a comeback to competitive cricket, playing first-class matches in late May. He also took part in the three-match ODI series against the West Indies. The right-arm pacer took four wickets from three games at an average of 38.75.

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Carse mentioned that he tries his best not to speak about his toe in the dressing room as his teammates are tired hearing about the same.

"I try not to mention the toe in the changing room any more because people are sick of it. It's a bit of a running joke - my second toe," he said with a laugh.