Having recovered sufficiently from his shoulder injury, Chris Lynn, the attacking Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) batsman, is itching to get back to action even as this season's Indian Premier League (IPL) moves towards the knock-out stages.

Lynn is expected to hit the nets for the first time later today (May 2), more than three weeks since injuring his left shoulder while attempting a catch during the match against Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede Stadium on April 9. Having opted to stay back in Kolkata, Lynn said that he's hopeful of returning well before the playoffs and is targeting the match against Kings XI Punjab (May 9) for his comeback, Cricket Australia reported.

"The shoulder is slowly getting there. I had a cortisone injection the other day and it worked really well," Lynn told cricket.com.au from Kolkata.

Lynn suffered the injury after landing awkwardly on his shoulder while chasing a high catch off Jos Buttler. His left shoulder popped out momentarily before Lynn himself pulled it back in. "I gave it a bit of a wriggle and it went back in," he said.

"Because I've had it a few times now, I sort of knew what timeframe I was looking at to get back if there wasn't too much damage after a scan," Lynn further added. Fortunately for the Australian batsman, the scans showed that the injury wasn't serious enough and helped Lynn decide to stay back in Kolkata, rather than returning home for treatment.

Extensive work with the KKR medical team as well as with Paul Chapman, the strength and conditioning coach of Queensland Bulls and Brisbane Heat, who is in India with the Mumbai Indians, means that Lynn could be back as early as the next week.

"We worked out whatever I could do back home, I can do where I am now in Kolkata," Lynn said. "It only makes sense I'm here trying to get fit to play some cricket before heading over to England. There would be nothing worse than going in under prepared to a world tournament," he added, speaking about his inclusion in Australia's squad for next month's Champions Trophy.

"I'm going to have my first bat and I'm feeling really confident about it. The shoulder has come up really well. It's positive signs but I've still got a long way to go. I'd like to ideally play a game or two before the finals. It would be a bit unfair on the teammates to rock up into a final not having played a game (since the injury)," Lynn noted.

The 27-year old Queensland batsman has had a history with injuries and he now knows that he needs to be 'extra careful' if he has to have a successful international career. "I can't keep affording to have this time off when I'm hitting the ball so well, it's so frustrating," Lynn said.

"I think I might just have to be one of those fielders you hide in the field. But as soon as I start costing the team runs in the field, that's when I've got to have a hard look at it. I think I can still contribute a fair amount with the bat and still be good enough in the ring in the field," he added.

Lynn's return will further strengthen an already strong KKR batting line-up but could also mean that the successful experimentation of Sunil Narine at the top of the order might come to an end. The Kolkata-based franchise are sitting pretty in the second spot and Lynn can't wait to join his mates in the dug-out. "I was going really when I was playing, but it helps the boys are winning, that's got me through. I can see a light at the end of the tunnel and hope to get back out there sooner rather than later," he concluded.