Ravi's recall will excite England, says Pietersen

Broad's availability to face India, as a lower-order batsman as much as a pace bowler, makes up for the continued absence of injured Ryan Sidebottom but the selectors have made two changes from the side that misfired so badly against Mumbai on Tuesday.

Having played two spinners in both warm-up matches and the Stanford showdown in Antigua, England have decided to leave the slow bowling in the hands of left-armer Samit Patel and drop Graeme Swann for paceman Jimmy Anderson.

But the bigger surprise is the recall of Essex all-rounder Ravi Bopara for the first time since the opening match of the one-day series against South Africa last season in place of Sussex's Luke Wright.

"Ravi has earned his recall," said captain Kevin Pietersen. "He's been on the sidelines but he had a great summer for Essex. I'm a big Ravi fan on these wickets and we wanted to give him a go. I think he's so exciting.

"He's really impressed me in the short term I've been captain and also when I've played alongside him as a player."

Bopara's call-up brings an end to a successive run of 14 consecutive one-day internationals for Wright, whom Pietersen admitted had "done nothing wrong" to lose his place.

Today's changes also signalled England's intent to stick with the formula that secured a stunning 4-0 home success over South Africa.

During that series, England excelled using four specialists seamers - Broad, Anderson, Steve Harmison and Andrew Flintoff - alongside Patel's spin and supplemented it by the medium pace of Wright and Paul Collingwood.

Bopara is likely to be asked to help with the bowling, although England's plans have been boosted by Broad recovering from the injury that forced him to miss the Mumbai humiliation.

England's hopes are improved by the fact Sachin Tendulkar is resting and fast bowler Ishant Sharma is out with an ankle injury.

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