Stewart - available in 2002 Photo CricInfo

Alec Stewart, the Surrey wicket-keeper/batsman who originally made himself unavailable for England's to India, has said that he would now be prepared to make himself available for the one-day internationals in January.

When Stewart made his decision not to travel to India there was speculation that the move might signal the end of an international career that began in 1989/90 and went through to the Oval last season against Australia. In that time he played 115 Tests, scoring 7,469 runs at an average of 39.31. That figure included 14 centuries and he claimed 231 victims behind the stumps. He also appeared in 146 one-day internationals, scoring 4,100 runs at 31.53 with 147 dismissals.

He has undergone operations on both elbows since the end of the English season and has now made himself available again at a time when there is still some doubt about the availability of his Surrey colleague, Graham Thorpe. Thorpe returned to England on the morning of the second Test in Ahmedabad in an attempt to resolve marital problems. It is quite possible that he will not want to rejoin the party for the one-day internationals.

Talking to Sky TV, Stewart said: " I would go back on my word originally. I would be available for the Indian one-day internationals to do whatever is now needed for the rest of the tour."

Whether the selectors take him up on his offer remains to be seen. Stewart's place on the one-day tour to Zimbabwe was taken by the young Essex wicket-keeper James Foster. Since then Foster made an indifferent start to his Test career at Mohali, but has since impressed with two important innings and a much tidier performance behind the stumps.

It might well be that the 21 year-old Foster is preferred to 38 year-old Stewart as a long-term prospect. The same thought might apply if the selectors consider taking Stewart as a specialist batsman. They might prefer to take the opportunity to look at a younger batsman knowing that, fit though he is, Stewart cannot go on forever at the highest level.

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