Broad getting ready to face India

Broad experienced swelling in his left ankle during the two-Test series against Pakistan, since when he has bowled only 22 overs out in the middle. But he has undergone pain-killing injections since then, and last week bowled a further 17 in the nets.

He intends to get more practice overs under his belt this week, before playing for Nottinghamshire against Surrey in a four-day championship match at Trent Bridge starting on Sunday. 

Assuming he emerges unscathed from that game, he will be ready to take on India at Edgbaston on August 1.

With his Test new-ball partner Jimmy Anderson appearing for Lancashire Second XI at Old Trafford on Sunday as part of his bid to ensure full match fitness ahead of the India series, the pieces are falling into place for England's seam attack.

Chris Woakes, who has played no first-team cricket since picking up a thigh strain during the second Test against Pakistan earlier this month, is set to appear for England Lions against India A in a four-day game starting in Worcester on Monday.

And Ben Stokes has been easing his way back from hamstring trouble with England's white-ball teams.

But it will be the prospect of taking the field at Edgbaston with a fully fit Broad and Anderson that will most please the new selectorial team of Ed Smith and James Taylor.

When England beat India 3-1 at home in 2014, Broad and Anderson picked up 45 wickets between them at 41, getting rid of Virat Kohli six times. 

And with five Tests scheduled across six gruelling weeks, the fitness of both teams' bowling attacks will be crucial. 

Meanwhile, Eoin Morgan has urged his team to stay positive against Indian left-arm wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav as England go in search of victory in Tuesday's third and deciding one-day international at Headingley.

Kuldeep destroyed England with six for 25 at Trent Bridge last week and managed three more wickets at Lord's on Saturday. 

But Morgan's team milked him for 68 en route to a comfortable 86-run win, and England's one-day captain wants more of the same.

'The more we face him, the easier he got to pick but you still have to play him well,' he said. 'Joe Root was quite significant in that - his rotation of strike, his calm head. I thought we did our basics right. It was much better.

'In between those two games, we emphasised the need to be clear in our plan and sticking to it, and that's what we did.'