KANPUR (India), Nov 19: England’s Graeme Swann is set to play in the third One-day International against India after the off-spinner was named in a 12-man squad on Wednesday.

However, left-arm seamer Ryan Sidebottom’s hopes of returning to the side for Thursday’s contest were dented after he underwent a scan for a back problem, having just recovered from an Achilles injury that kept him out of the first two games.

India lead the seven-match series 2-0 after impressive victories fashioned by Yuvraj Singh’s back-to-back hundreds.

The 29-year-old Swann is a finger spinner who played a useful role in last year’s one-day series victory in Sri Lanka, claiming seven wickets in four matches.

“Because I haven’t played in the first two games, I’m in quite a unique position and should I get in the eleven tomorrow which I hope to do, I can walk out as if it is a fresh series,” the bowler told reporters after practice on Wednesday.

“The series in Sri Lanka last year was a five-match series. That is a good length series for a spin bowler, doesn’t get too tired and doesn’t get worked out by the batsmen.”

All-rounder Ravi Bopara, one of the players who could make way for Swann, did not attend nets due to a stomach upset.

England paceman Stuart Broad was cautioned by the ICC match referee after appearing to question umpire Russell Tiffin’s decision to rule a bouncer as wide in Monday’s second game.

“The umpire felt it was borderline to showing dissent and with him being a young lad I thought it best to have him in for a talk and nip it in the bud,” referee Roshan Mahanama was quoted as saying in the England Cricket Board (ECB) website.

Foe the hosts, young paceman Ishant Sharma bowled in the nets, having missed the first two games due to an ankle problem. Skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni said his inclusion would be decided before the game.

Yuvraj is in line to become only the fourth player to score three consecutive one-day hundreds, after scoring 138 not out and 118 in the last two games. Pakistan’s Zaheer Abbas and Saeed Anwar and South African Herschelle Gibbs have achieved that feat.

“Hopefully he will be doing it,” Dhoni told reporters. “One thing about Yuvi is, when he gets going he is among the best.”

Bowlers seemed to be sorting out right-handed batsmen more easily and left-handers held an advantage when it came to big hitting in limited overs cricket, he added.

The Kanpur pitch is expected to favour batsmen after the slow pitch in the previous game in Indore saw nine England batsmen fall to spin bowlers, the other being a run out.—Reuters