Stuart Broad sent for scan on heel injury

England bowler has been short of form

Stuart Broad was today sent for a scan after a recurrence of his heel injury.

England's Twenty20 captain suffered more discomfort this morning in the Nagpur nets, where the tourists are preparing for the final Test against India.

England have two Twenty20 matches next week to round off their tour before Christmas. Eoin Morgan is the Twenty20 vice-captain.

Broad, who first had a scan on the problem during England's second tour match in Mumbai last month, went on to play in the first two Tests before losing form.

An update on the injury to his left heel is expected later today.

The Test vice-captain was highly unlikely in any case to take part this week, when Alastair Cook's team have a date with destiny as they bid to become the first from England to win a series here since 1984-85.

Much of the hype surrounding the match starting on Thursday has been on the subject of the pitch, and India's need for a 'result' surface to try to battle back from 2-1 down and claim a drawn series.

A spinners' benefit, as prevailed in the second Test in Mumbai, would run the risk - as far as the hosts are concerned - of once more playing into the hands of England's Monty Panesar and Graeme Swann.

The off-spinner, who already has 56 Test wickets to his name this year, is refusing to be distracted by all the chatter about conditions at the Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium.

"I've not seen the pitch yet. We'll just have to see what we're faced with," he said.

"It doesn't matter what you believe. The pitch will be the pitch, whatever happens on the first morning.

"It's normally a good pitch here, but we'll have to play on it whatever."

:: India have replaced Manoj Tiwary with the uncapped Ambati Rayudu as a like-for-like batting replacement in their Twenty20 squad, after the former suffered a side strain in a Ranji Trophy match and will be out of action for six weeks.

PA