Nasser Hussain has indicated that Alec Stewart will remain in the international wilderness for some time to come. Stewart, 39, opted out of England's tour to India, and was then omitted from the subsequent tour of New Zealand.

Twenty-two-year-old James Foster took up the gloves while Stewart stayed at home for an operation on his elbows, and was one of 11 England players to be awarded a central contract.

Foster, an Essex team-mate of Hussain's, had an error-strewn tour behind the stumps, while Stewart has started this season in fine form with two 90s in county championship matches.

But Hussain said: "We have got to give him (Foster) a go. He's the future. Obviously Alec's name will come up from time to time, he's a world-class cricketer.

"But there's no point in us going round in circles. Mistakes are made by every young player that comes into international cricket. Graham Thorpe and Marcus Trescothick are the only two that have come in and been major successes straightaway.

"In my time I hope to give every young cricketer that comes, whoever they may be, a chance."

Hussain insisted that those who have not been awarded a central contract still have a chance of being selected for the first Test against Sri Lanka at Lord's.

"People just look at the contracts and see that as being the team, thinking that others cannot get in," said Hussain.

"But the contracts and the team that we will select next week are different. We will look at the conditions at Lord's, when we have played well there and how we have won games there before and will pick a side to beat Sri Lanka.

"The boys with the contracts, of course, will be high on our lists."

However, Hussain added that the long-term development of players as well as short-term success would be high on his list of priorities.

"I think that's the balance for me," said Hussain. "It's easy for the selectors to pick our best side to try and win this Test series.

"But Duncan [Fletcher, the England coach] has a saying about looking after the next week or looking after the future. Which is most important?

"It's selfish to look after the next week - we have a responsibility beyond that," said Hussain, speaking at the launch of a scheme, the Lion's Den, to attract more children into cricket.

"English cricket demands success, however, so we have to try and balance it and beat Sri Lanka and India."

Following their three-Test series against Sri Lanka, England will go into a triangular one-day competition, also involving India, before playing India in four Tests.

© Wisden CricInfo Ltd