Alex Tudor faces a late fitness assessment as the England selectors finalise their plans for the first Test against India.

The squad for Lord's will be announced on Saturday morning after the previously scheduled time of 11am on Thursday was postponed because of numerous niggles and worries.

Tudor - man of the match in the last Test against Sri Lanka a month ago - is the biggest cause for concern.

The Surrey pace bowler has been taking anti-inflammatory tablets in a bid to relieve the discomfort of his shin splints and is a major doubt.

However, it appears the selectors have yet to give up hope of him overcoming the problem and Surrey granted a request by the England and Wales Cricket Board to rest Tudor for the match at Canterbury today alongside wicketkeeper Alec Stewart.

And if there have been signs of improvement overnight, the towering Tudor could be named with another seamer included as cover.

"Alex is having ongoing tests all the time," said Surrey coach Keith Medlycott.

"We are just waiting to reach a point where we can decide the best way to move forward.

"The anti-inflammatories may well smooth the problem over and by Friday lunchtime he could be a lot better.

"You don't know how these things piece together. It might be that he can be declared fit enough and included.

"I have my fingers crossed for him. I want him to be playing and doing really well."

Tudor's England and Surrey colleague Mark Butcher makes a return in that match at Canterbury after knee surgery.

He is likely to open the innings, a role he is seemingly set for next week in the Test match following Marcus Trescothick's fractured thumb.

Meanwhile, premier strike bowler Darren Gough will make his first County Championship appearance of the season in the Roses match at Headingley.

Doubts remain as to whether he can stand up to the rigours of a five-day Test, given that he has yet to play anything more than one-day cricket this summer.

Other centrally contracted players - Yorkshire duo Matthew Hoggard and Michael Vaughan and Lancashire's Andrew Flintoff - will sit out, however, as requested by England coach Duncan Fletcher.

Captain Nasser Hussain and Warwickshire spinner Ashley Giles are also inactive.