England admit Broad injury concerns

The England national selector, Geoff Miller, has admitted there are concerns over the fitness of Stuart Broad, England's Twenty20 captain, and that a time may come when he cannot be part of the side in all three formats of the game.

Broad, who flew home early from the Test series in India with a heel problem, is due to link up with the England squad ahead of the final two one-day internationals, but is considered unlikely to play either of those matches. A more realistic target for his return is the Twenty20 series in New Zealand, which starts on February 9.

That, however, is admittance that Broad's recovery from the heel problem that plagued him during the Test series in India has not gone as smoothly as hoped. Broad is visiting a kit specialist in Germany this week to be fitted with customised boots aimed to alleviate the problem on his left heel, which takes the brunt of the force during his delivery stride.

"The concern is that there have been two or three niggles that have affected his form and availability," Miller told reporters in India. "Anybody with an injury is a concern to us and we've got to manage workloads as best as we can, that's why we're continually looking at other players. We will look at it and make sure he's used in the best possible way for English cricket. He knows that."

The rotation of players during a packed international schedule is now a major talking point, particularly in Australia, and England are currently using such a system during the one-day series in India, with James Anderson and Jonathan Trott also rested. It is likely, too, that certain key players will be given periods off during the upcoming home-and-away Test series against New Zealand.

However, ruling a player out of a format completely, unless that is a decision taken by the player concerned, is a drastic option and one that Miller hoped Broad will not have to contemplate.

"At this moment of time we're not thinking about taking him out of a format because he's got that sort of quality, but if we reached the stage where his body wasn't responding to all kinds of cricket then we're open to that."

Although Broad finished 2012 as the fourth-highest Test wicket-taker among quick bowlers, with 40 wickets at 31.70, his form tailed off in the second half of the year against South Africa and India. He had earlier been rested from the one-day series against South Africa, led England at the World Twenty20 before picking up his heel injury during the warm-up matches in India. The problem then reoccurred towards the end of the tour.

Broad's injury problems began in Australia during the 2010-11 Ashes, when a strained stomach muscle sustained in Adelaide forced him home early. He then suffered a rib injury during the World Cup, which again ended his participation early, and then picked up a shoulder injury late in the 2011 home season.

"What we have to do is react to the injury that he has at any one time," Miller said. "He felt, and we felt, that he had to look after his body so he went away and worked really hard at that. Since then there have been a few niggling injuries, but anybody can get them."

I am fit for selection - Manoj Tiwary

India batsman Manoj Tiwary has said he has made a full recovery from the side strain that ruled him out of action for a month. The India selectors are expected to meet later this week to pick the squad for the final two ODIs against England and Tiwary is hopeful of making the cut. His fitness report is expected to reach the selectors before the meeting.

Tiwary had been sidelined for at least six weeks after suffering the injury while batting during a Ranji Trophy game for Bengal against Saurashtra in Rajkot in December. His rehabilitation took place at the National Cricket Academy in Bangalore, in two phases.

"I am feeling fit for selection and have successfully completed my rehabilitation," Tiwary told ESPNcricinfo. "The physio and the trainer were very satisfied with my recovery and I was progressing better than expected in fact. I was able to train with very little pain. They should have sent the fitness report to the selectors yesterday. I am now back home in Kolkata, looking to play a few club games (for match practice)."

Tiwary was injured just five games into the Ranji season. He began the season with 93 against the touring England side in the warm-up game in Mumbai - the highest by an Indian batsman in the game - but it wasn't good enough for him to make the Test line-up. He was among at least three contenders for the No. 6 spot, which eventually went to Yuvraj Singh. Tiwary also hit 191 in his third Ranji match this season, against Gujarat.

He had been initially named in the Twenty20 squad for the two matches against England before Christmas, but the injury meant that he had to miss that series and the limited-overs series against Pakistan as well. Tiwary had also suffered a wrist injury early in the tournament, but it wasn't as serious as his side strain.

Tiwary had once narrowly missed out on a Test debut, when he injured his shoulder during fielding practice on the eve of the Mirpur Test in 2007. Opportunities were also few: he has played just eight ODIs and three T20s since his international debut in 2008. Tiwary scored his maiden ODI century in December 2011, but was benched through the CB Series in Australia. He finally got his chance in the tour of Sri Lanka, scoring a fifty in the fifth ODI. Tiwary said he is used to handling such setbacks.

"The mental strength I have derived comes from my tough upbringing, from my background," Tiwary said. "We never had much money. I believe in hard work and leave the rest to destiny. My struggles are nothing compared to some other people. I motivate myself by watching motivational speeches and inspirational videos."

Kanishkaa Balachandran is a senior sub-editor at ESPNcricinfo