Never mind the Pollock, Sachin Tendulkar has something far more chewy to ponder - the news that Ashley Giles has passed his fitness test. Well, sort of. Of course Giles hasn't bowled at all, nor is he expected to be fit for any of England's warm-up games. A summer portfolio of four first-class matches and 12 wickets is all he will be carrying in his kit-bag as he boards the plane for Mumbai.

Giles has an excellent record on the subcontinent. He took 17 Test wickets in Pakistan last winter, and despite an early pummelling in Sri Lanka went on to nab a crucial 4 for 11 in the deciding Test in Colombo.

But let's be realistic - this is a bowler who has played only eight Tests, not a Steve Waugh drop-me-if-you-dare. As much as England rate Giles, it would be daft to pick him for a Test without match practice, against batsmen who consider Shane Warne a tasty breakfast. And it wouldn't be the greatest of treats for Giles, who already missed most of the 2001 season because he bowled through injury in Sri Lanka and came back too soon against Australia at Edgbaston.

Giles cannot realistically be match-fit by December 3, so England will probably go into the Test with one or two uncapped spinners: Richard Dawson or Martyn Ball. Phil Tufnell must have done something terrible to those elephants. Tanya Aldred is assistant editor of Wisden.com.

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