Bresnan in for injured Shahzad(28-Jul-2010)
Tim Bresnan has been called into the England squad to face Pakistan in the first Test after Ajmal Shahzad picked up an ankle injury.
Shahzad aggravated an old injury during training on Tuesday and as a result will miss at least the series-opener against Pakistan at Trent Bridge.
England selector Geoff Miller explained that Bresnan had been given a late call to replace Yorkshire team-mate Shahzad in the squad, and insisted that he could yet make it all the way into the starting XI.
"He's been drafted in, there's a bit of a problem with Ajmal's ankle, he (Bresnan) was next on the block so naturally he's come into the squad," Miller told Sky Sports News.
"He's got a bit of a damaged ankle but he bowled well for Yorkshire in the 40 over game and he looked like he'd come through it - but he's suffered a reoccurrence of it so we had to bring somebody else in, which is Tim."
Miller insisted that Shahzad could yet make it back into the squad for the second Test, but claimed he should be in no rush as he has a long career ahead of him.
"There's a lot of cricket to be played this year and moving on to the winter, his career's just starting. It's disappointing for him obviously but he'll be back.
"We'll monitor and work on his problem and we'll keep it open, we're not picking sides for two Test matches here we're doing it Test by Test so we'll look out for him for the next one.
Bresnan offers quality back-up and Miller says it is a sign of the strength in depth in the bowling unit - adding Bresnan will be fully considered for a start on Thursday should conditions suit.
"We've created over the last year or so a strength in depth, so we've got international quality players who we can all upon at any one time.
"It's a squad of 12 so somebody will be left out, but we don't know who that'll be right now, it's not just about a team anymore it's about a squad and Tim's in that right now.
"We'll have to see what the conditions are like, it could suit his bowling tomorrow so we'll see then, no decision has been made as yet."
Shahzad aggravated an old injury during training on Tuesday and as a result will miss at least the series-opener against Pakistan at Trent Bridge.
England selector Geoff Miller explained that Bresnan had been given a late call to replace Yorkshire team-mate Shahzad in the squad, and insisted that he could yet make it all the way into the starting XI.
"He's been drafted in, there's a bit of a problem with Ajmal's ankle, he (Bresnan) was next on the block so naturally he's come into the squad," Miller told Sky Sports News.
"He's got a bit of a damaged ankle but he bowled well for Yorkshire in the 40 over game and he looked like he'd come through it - but he's suffered a reoccurrence of it so we had to bring somebody else in, which is Tim."
Miller insisted that Shahzad could yet make it back into the squad for the second Test, but claimed he should be in no rush as he has a long career ahead of him.
"There's a lot of cricket to be played this year and moving on to the winter, his career's just starting. It's disappointing for him obviously but he'll be back.
"We'll monitor and work on his problem and we'll keep it open, we're not picking sides for two Test matches here we're doing it Test by Test so we'll look out for him for the next one.
Bresnan offers quality back-up and Miller says it is a sign of the strength in depth in the bowling unit - adding Bresnan will be fully considered for a start on Thursday should conditions suit.
"We've created over the last year or so a strength in depth, so we've got international quality players who we can all upon at any one time.
"It's a squad of 12 so somebody will be left out, but we don't know who that'll be right now, it's not just about a team anymore it's about a squad and Tim's in that right now.
"We'll have to see what the conditions are like, it could suit his bowling tomorrow so we'll see then, no decision has been made as yet."