England may rotate Broad and Anderson against India

England have already started discussing with James Anderson and Stuart Broad the idea of them being rotated during the five-test series against India that has been squeezed into just six weeks.

Broad and Anderson are unlikely to play all five matches, especially if the pitches are true batting surfaces and England end up spending many overs in the field.

In their younger days, the pair may not have taken too well to being left out of the side, but accept now they have to manage their workload to keep going.

Both have had injuries this season. Anderson had a six-week break to rest a shoulder and Broad limped out of a County Championship match with an ankle injury.

Both played a round of championship matches last week and Broad has declared himself “100 per cent fit”.

“I think we will have to play that by ear,” said Broad, when asked if he could play all five Tests. “It will depend on tosses, pitches, workloads. It’s unrealistic to think your seam bowlers will play five Tests in six weeks but, if you have a Test where you bowl them out in 80 overs, that changes your thinking.

“If the pitches turn square and the spinners do a lot of the work, you might not bowl so much but come on when the ball starts to reverse-swing, so sometimes your workloads can be higher if it is green and nibbling.

“I think there have already been small conversations saying don’t be disheartened if you are left out for a Test match, it’s not a personal attack or dropping, it’s management of your bowlers to make sure we give ourselves the best chance.

“I won’t get to the stage where I am left out at say, Lord’s, and go back and play county cricket.

“Fresh bowlers come in, you stay around [the squad], keep talking and stay part of the unit, so it’s only natural to expect small changes throughout five Test matches, but the bowlers have to be able to take it.”

England held their first training session at Edgbaston yesterday and are expected to have two lengthy sessions before easing off tomorrow, the day before the match.

England will pay close attention to the pitch tomorrow as they decide whether to pick two spinners. If that happens then Moeen Ali is likely to play ahead of Dawid Malan. Sam Curran is poised to be the swing bowler in the side, with Jamie Porter added as cover although, with Anderson and Broad to be rested at some point, he may not have to wait long for a Test debut.

Stuart Broad was speaking at the launch of Specsavers as official Test partner for England ahead of the 1,000th Test, which begins at Edgbaston this week.