Ashley Giles, England's No. 1 spinner, is a "slight doubt" for Wednesday's first Test because of a stiff back. Nasser Hussain revealed that Giles's back felt sore on Sunday, but said it was a lot better today. Giles was due to take it easy during England's training session today, and Hussain said he was hoping to be fit for the Test matches. England will name their XII on Tuesday evening, "depending on Ashley's fitness". But if Giles isn't in the squad, it could mean a game for Richard Dawson, who took 4 for 134 on Test debut against India at Mohali, but has been short of match-practice since. He didn't bowl at all during the rain-affected third Test at Bangalore, and was given just seven overs by the stand-in captain Marcus Trescothick during England's warm-up game against Otago at Queenstown – the only time he has bowled since the second Test against India at Ahmedabad in December.

But if the drop-in pitch looks as if it might seam around, England could draft in Mark Ramprakash instead and play a four-pronged seam attack of Andy Caddick, Matthew Hoggard, Andy Flintoff and Craig White, with Mark Butcher as back-up, and Ramprakash and Michael Vaughan providing the part-time spin.

Lawrence Booth is assistant editor of Wisden.com.

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