LAHORE, Nov 26: All-rounder Ian Blackwell will replace left-arm spinner Ashley Giles in the England squad for next month’s five One-day Internationals against Pakistan, an official said on Saturday.

Giles will return home after the third and final Test finishes here on Dec 3 to have surgery on a long-standing hip cartilage problem.

“The decision to withdraw Giles from the one-day squad has been taken with a view to improving his chances of being fit for the tour of India which is scheduled in late February,” team spokesman Andrew Walpole said in a statement.

The one-day series begins here on Dec 10.

England’s chairman of selectors David Graveney said Blackwell has had opportunities with the one-day squad before and the injury to Giles had created another opening for him, the statement added.

Blackwell, 27, has played 23 one-dayers. He played his last match against New Zealand at home in 2004. He has taken 15 wickets with his left-arm spin and has scored 291 runs at an average of 16.16.

The selectors also decided Ian Bell would be on standby to join the one-day squad should captain Michael Vaughan miss the one-day series due to a knee injury, the statement said.

Marcus Trescothick will continue to deputise as captain if Vaughan is unavailable.

Vaughan missed his team’s 22-run defeat in the first Test at Multan after twisting his right knee during the warm-up game, but recovered in time to lead the side in the drawn second Test at Faisalabad.—AFP