England spinner Graeme Swann is targeting a swift recovery from his recurring elbow injury after being ruled out of the tour of New Zealand.

The 33-year-old will soon fly to America to undergo surgery in a bid to try to clear himself of the troublesome problem.

However, with a big year of cricket ahead, including back-to-back Ashes series, Swann is eager to quickly return from the problem.

"If I don't have the surgery I know it's more or less curtains," Swann told Sky Sports News. "So the fact that I can have the surgery and I have been told that it is relatively simple, and touch wood it will be, I will wake up on the other end and everything will be great.

"I'm very much buoyed by the success the last time I had it done.

"My elbow was in a lot worse shape then than it is now so I am very confident I will bounce back in a short space of time and be fighting fit."

It is not yet known whether Swann will be fit to face the Black Caps when they tour England later this year.