Sidebottom '100 percent fit'

Seamer could return for second ODI

Last updated: 16th November 2008

Ryan Sidebottom England Nov 08

Sidebottom: available for selection

England seamer Ryan Sidebottom is available for the second one-day international against India after coming through a fitness test.

Sidebottom missed the tourists' 158-run defeat in Friday's series opener due to an Achilles injury and had been thought doubtful for the second instalment of the seven-match series in Indore on Monday.

However, England all-rounder Paul Collingwood revealed on Sunday that the Nottinghamshire left-arm seamer had bowled in the nets and is "100 percent fit".

"Sidebottom is fully fit and he is in contention," confirmed Collingwood.

"He bowled in the nets, he's 100 percent fit."

Sidebottom and off-spinner Graeme Swann are both in contention to come into the starting XI with England likely to make changes to their bowling attack after India piled up 387-5 in the first match.

"They hit us hard at Rajkot," admitted Collingwood.

No panic

"When you have a defeat like that you can get a knee-jerk reaction and panic and start changing things around.

"History says that if you give people the confidence to go out there and perform that's what we'll do.

"Everyone in that line-up is a proven player, and now we'll back them. We've got the belief in all the players and we hope the players will go out and perform.

"We need to be aggressive. The key is early wickets, there is a bit of inexperience in their middle order and we can expose it a bit."

India are likely to name an unchanged team with Yuvraj Singh, who scored a whirlwind century on Friday, set to play despite a minor back injury, while paceman Ishant Sharma is again unfit.