Former England captain Sir Geoffrey Boycott has been diagnosed with throat cancer for the second time and will undergo surgery.
Boycott, 83, was told last week that his cancer had returned. He had been treated for the disease with chemotherapy and radiation therapy in 2002.
Boycott will undergo surgery in two weeks to remove the cancer.
In a statement to the Daily Telegraph, Boycott said: “Over the past few weeks I have had an MRI scan, CT scan, PET scan and two biopsies and it has now been confirmed that I have throat cancer and will require surgery.
“I know from experience that to beat cancer a second time, you need excellent medical treatment and a good dose of luck. And even if the surgery is successful, every cancer patient knows that they have to live with the possibility of it coming back. So I just keep going and hope for the best.”
The former England batsman scored 8,114 runs in 108 Tests from 1964 to 1982 and captained the side four times in 1978, replacing the injured Mike Brearley.
During his first-class career, Boycott, who played for Yorkshire, averaged 56.83 strikes with the bat and scored 151 centuries and over 48,000 runs.
After his retirement, Boycott became a successful commentator and was part of the BBC cricket commentary team.
In 2020, his 14-year stint as a commentator on the BBC Test Match Special came to an end.
Boycott underwent quadruple bypass surgery in 2018, which he credits as a factor in the end of his time at the BBC and the coronavirus pandemic.
