Giles set to play in second Test - Hussain

England spinner Ashley Giles should be fit to play in this week's second Test against India after recovering from a foot injury, according to the tourists' captain Nasser Hussain.

"I expect him to be fit. He has done everything today," Hussain said on Sunday after nets in Ahmedabad.

England, who slumped to a 10-wicket defeat in last week's first Test in Mohali, are desperate for Giles to be fit because the match, which starts on Tuesday, is expected to be played on a spin-friendly pitch.

The tourists failed to reach 250 runs in either innings on a seamer-friendly Mohali track where Indian leg-spinner Anil Kumble and off-spinner Harbhajan Singh shared 15 wickets.

Left-armer Giles, 28, was ruled out of the first match of the series with a bruised heel suffered in a tour match, leaving Richard Dawson to lead England's spin attack in his first Test.

An Achilles tendon injury restricted Giles to just one of this year's five Ashes Tests, and although he was passed fit to take his place in the squad for the Indian tour, he did not play in the first two warm-up games.

"We want to have Ashley back in the side," Hussain said. "We want to give him every chance. But we need to see if he can go through five days."

Hussain's side face the prospect of a 3-0 whitewash as the Indian spinners are expected to dominate in Ahmedabad and Bangalore, the venue for the third Test, on slow, turning tracks.

TRAINING BATSMEN

Hussain admitted his batsmen were still in the process of getting used to the conditions in India.

"The pitches here turn from day two and we are trying to train and re-train the batsmen," Hussain said. "We have got 11 batters and we have won matches in the past with contributions from one down to eleven."

He said shot selection and planning would be the key to doing well against the Indian attack.

"Players have to plan to get around playing spinners," Hussain said.

Hussain criticised his team's poor fielding in Mohali after four catches were dropped and a stumping missed, enabling India to pile up a match-winning total of 469 in their first innings.

Hussain said the conditions in Ahmedabad could make life even more difficult for his inexperienced attack, hinting he would probably play an extra bowler.

"In this part of the world, the temperature is four-five degrees higher," he said. "So you need five bowlers."

Mail Cricket Editor