Australian fast bowler Glenn McGrath needs a second operation on his left ankle and will not play international cricket again until mid-December.
McGrath needs five Test caps to reach 100 for Australia
The decision was taken by surgeon Martin Sullivan after examining McGrath in Sydney.
The 33-year-old has articular cartilage damage and spurs on his ankle.
"The surgery Glenn underwent in August is fine. However, this is a new problem and one that will need to be rectified by surgery," said Sullivan.
"The cartilage damage has existed for several years, possibly from Glenn's days playing basketball, but it has clearly been aggravated.
"[Team physio] Errol Alcott and I will review him again in mid-December, however I expect him to make a full recovery."
McGrath will definitely miss two Tests against Zimbabwe - the first starting in Perth on Wednesday - and a triangular one-day series in India, also involving New Zealand.
The diagnosis means, however, that it is likely he will also be unavailable for at least part of the home Test series against India, which starts in December.
McGrath has taken 430 wickets in 95 Tests, putting him second on the Australian all-time list behind Shane Warne (491).
He was hoping to become only the eighth Australian to play 100 Tests before the end of the year, but must now wait until 2004.
"I'm very motivated to get back," he said.
"Being five Tests off a hundred, it's a major goal of mine so while it's a bit of a hiccup, I'll be back."