Cricket: Swann to take flight?

GRAEME SWANN is expected to force his way into England's plans for the next match in their one-day series against India as they attempt to bounce back from two defeats.

Yesterday's 54-run loss at the Nehru Stadium followed an emphatic 158-run hammering in Rajkot, with England sticking to an unchanged line-up for both matches.

Now, with the tourists needing a vast improvement in their performance and tactics for the next game in Kanpur on Thursday, England may consider dropping their previous formula and introducing Swann's offspin into their plans.

Nottinghamshire spinner Swann has been overlooked as England kept faith with a seam-heavy attack and county teammate Samit Patel took on the slow bowling duties.

That formula is clearly not working, however, and captain Kevin Pietersen has admitted Swann may be considered in Kanpur - either as a replacement for Patel or alongside him.

Pietersen said: "There is food for thought there, but we will just wait and see."

Left-arm seamer Ryan Sidebottom could also come into contention after missing out on the warm-up matches with prolonged achilles problems as England try to shuffle their pack to remain in contention in the series.

Pietersen added: "We can be competitive and we need to keep improving.

"We want to try to win this series because that is what we are here to do.

"The team we went in with we thought could win and be more competitive - and we were."

CAPTION(S):

SET TO START: Graeme Swann