Ravi's recall will excite England, says Pietersen

England have decided to play only one spinner in tomorrow's opening one-day international after pace bowler Stuart Broad came through a fitness test on his sore knee in Rajkot this morning.

Broad's availability to face India, as a lower-order batsman as much as a pace bowler, makes up for the continued absence of injured Ryan Sidebottom but the selectors have made two changes from the side that misfired so badly against Mumbai on Tuesday.

Having played two spinners in both warm-up matches and the Stanford showdown in Antigua, England have decided to leave the slow bowling in the hands of left-armer Samit Patel and drop Graeme Swann for paceman Jimmy Anderson.

But the bigger surprise is the recall of Essex all-rounder Ravi Bopara for the first time since the opening match of the one-day series against South Africa last season in place of Sussex's Luke Wright.

"Ravi has earned his recall," said captain Kevin Pietersen. "He's been on the sidelines but he had a great summer for Essex. I'm a big Ravi fan on these wickets and we wanted to give him a go. I think he's so exciting.

"He's really impressed me in the short term I've been captain and also when I've played alongside him as a player."