Flintoff injury sets the tone for England’s summer

As Andrew Flintoff undergoes knee surgery after picking up an injury during the IPL the vultures are already circling around this summer's Ashes campaign.

Simon Wilde in the Sunday Times says there is a grim familiarity about the way the summer is unfolding. "The damage is invariably done in the months leading up to the campaign when errors in strategy and planning are made and key players fall injured, or form deserts them," he notes.

With Flintoff ruled out of the warm-up series against the West Indies the balance of the team is in doubt. There is no outstanding candidate for number three in the batting order, with Michael Vaughan failing to impress so far this season and, as ever, the matter of unearthing an attack that can take 20 wickets in a Test will weigh heavily on selectors minds.

More importantly there is the question of personalities and dedication in the dressing room, says Wilde.

"Why Flintoff should be paid a basic retainer of nearly £200,000 when he is no longer putting England first is a moot point," he wonders. "The same argument applies to the likes of Kevin Pietersen and Paul Collingwood, except that as batsmen they are far less likely to suffer injuries and need less protecting. Unfortunately, given the dressing-room dynamics, it seems there was no way Flintoff could be told he was not going to be released for the IPL – and would have to forgo £450,000 – while the green light was given to Pietersen.

"This England dressing-room is dominated by two men who command rare wealth and celebrity and too many of the rest lack genuine substance. Sorting out this situation is one of the principal tasks facing the new management team of Andrew Strauss and Andy Flower."