Lehmann on the mend after triple bypass surgery

Former Australia batsman and coach Darren Lehmann is recovering at home a week after having a triple-bypass heart operation in Brisbane.

Lehmann suffered chest pains on February 5 – his 50th birthday – on the Gold Coast, in between watching his son Jake captain the Cricket Australia XI against the touring England Lions at Metricon Stadium.

Jake Lehmann will tomorrow captain the CA XI in a four-day red-ball game against the same opposition in Hobart.

Lehmann, who said his return home from hospital had happened earlier than expected, paid tribute to his medical team including the surgeon he described as "the Ricky Ponting of cardiac surgery".

"Just wanted to give all my friends and family an update, and again to say thanks from me and my family for the continued support and messages over the past week," Lehmann wrote in a lengthy social media post.

"I came home from the hospital yesterday, a little earlier than expected. The operation was triple bypass surgery."

Lehmann expressed heartfelt thanks to all the medical crew from surgeons to ward volunteers at the Gold Coast Private Hospital, where he was initially treated, and Brisbane's Prince Charles Hospital, where he was operated on.

"I can't thank everyone enough who helped me in big and small ways at the hospital," Lehmann wrote.

"There simply isn't enough praise I could give this dedicated team of people at the Prince Charles. A couple of big thank you's, Peter Tesar (Head of Cardiology), who performed my surgery, best described by his piers (sic) as the Ricky Ponting of cardiac surgery, you are an amazing surgeon, and I loved having chats about both cricket and medicine.

"Thanks for extending my life, I'll be forever grateful I got you and your expert team.

"The operation went very well and now it is about recovery and rehab, so I will be taking some rest now, and then getting back to things in a couple of months.

"Thanks to the Brisbane Heat, Cricket Australia and Northern Super Chargers for their total support of me during this time."

Lehmann's next official engagement was scheduled to be as head coach of the Northern Superchargers in England's 'The Hundred' competition in July.

Lehmann had returned to a coaching role this summer with the Brisbane Heat, the same club he led to the title in BBL|02, after stepping down from the Australia job in late March 2018 in the wake of the ball-tampering scandal in South Africa.

Reflecting on his coaching tenure, which spanned five years, in October 2018, Lehmann conceded he 'maybe went on too long' given the stress and time on the road in the role.

"It's 24-7, you don't sleep," said Lehmann,  who played 27 Tests and won two 50-over World Cups.

"You're thinking about either the day, the coming day, six months ahead, who you've got coming up, what players you've got back from injuries, you're talking to everyone.

"It's literally the most demanding job I've ever had, but it's great fun.

"It's really stressful and 300 days away make it tough.

"It's a job I loved, I loved every minute of it. Even right to the end I loved it."