India v England
England have selected Graeme Swann and Matt Prior for the opening Test against India starting on Thursday in Chennai.
Test debutant Swann replaces the injured Stuart Broad and will form a twin spin attack with Monty Panesar.
Wicketkeeper Prior returns in place of Tim Ambrose for England's first Test match since the summer.
The two-Test series was in doubt after the Mumbai terror attacks but the re-arranged second Test will definitely take place in Mohali on 19 December.
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By Sam Lyon
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e-mail tms@bbc.co.uk (with 'For Sam Lyon' in the subject), text 81111 (with "CRICKET" as the first word). (Not all contributions can be used)
0344: Right then, let's have a pipe (-hook = look) at the teams. As we know, England have opted to recall Sussex wicketkeeper Matt Prior to the Test side for the first time in about a year in place of Warwickshire gloveman Tim Ambrose, while Graeme Swann makes his Test long-overdue debut at the grand ol' age of 29 with Stuart Broad injured. India, as expected, start with Gautem Gambhir and Yuvraj Singh, with Murali Vijay dropped and Sourav Ganguly retired. The weather? It's looking pretty dry... for now.
Chennai weather
0338: By the way, the more observant among you will notice I am not Ben Dirs, Tom Fordyce or even Mark Mitchener. That's right, after a spell away from the comfort of live TMS text commentary I, Sam Lyon, am back in a big way. And that means I want you all to welcome my return with a torrent of texts via 81111, emails to tms@bbc.co.uk and plenty of chat on 606 (when it opens at 0900 GMT). You know you want to...
0335: First and foremost - news of the toss and England skipper Kevin Pietersen has called correctly, opting to bat first on what, according to the lovely Alison Mitchell on TMS, looks a pretty flat pitch. As is often the way with Test cricket in India, it is something of a muted atmosphere at M.A.Chidambaram Stadium right now but there's still time for the crowds to pour in.
0330: So here it is. In just under half an hour, two weeks after the atrocities of the Mumbai attacks and following a fortnight's uncertainty over whether England's Test tour of India would go ahead at all, the first Test in Chennai will get under way. And you know what? I reckon it might just be a cracker...
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