Brett Lee has declared himself "100 percent" fit for the fourth Ashes Test but his Australian teammate Shane Watson is not sure if the pacer is ready for a comeback.
Lee had on Wednesday asserted that he was ready for the Headingley game but Watson insisted that one must play competitive cricket before getting back to Test grinding.
"I know from my experience coming back from a side injury, or an injury in general, that you normally need at least probably one game under your belt to be able to have a big crack out in a game, before you actually get into a Test match," Watson said.
Watson said selectors may decide against picking Lee for the fourth Test, beginning on Friday.
"At the moment there is probably less chance of him being picked because of that reason. He is still probably a game away to get under his belt before he might be in calculations for selection. I'm not a selector but that's my feeling as to where he is at," Watson was quoted as saying by the 'Daily Telegraph'.
After Wednesday's practice Lee, who is yet figure in this year's Ashes, had said, "My pace feels really good and I'm 100 percent ready to go. I've been bowling for two weeks. I've bowled eight days straight. Most days I have been bowling back-to-back so morning and afternoon sessions.
"Hopefully I have done everything I can to prove that I'm ready to go."
Is Andrew Flintoff worth the risk?
Is Andrew Flintoff worth the risk? That is the question confronting the England management as they ponder whether to play the inspirational yet injury-prone all-rounder in the fourth Ashes Test at Headingley.
Flintoff, who has said this will be his final Test series, led England to glory with the ball in their 115-run second Test win at Lord's and then top-scored with the bat in the drawn third Test at Edgbaston.
But all the while he has been struggling with a right knee injury which has so far required several pain-killing injections during this series.
The party line from England has been that Flintoff won't play unless he is "fully fit" but the term can mean different things to different people and it would be a big decision for the likes of the England selectors, England captain Andrew Strauss and coach Andy Flower to leave Flintoff out.
