SOPHIE ECCLESTONE returns to England duty this week after a near five-month absence with Tammy Beaumont admitting they will need the slow left-armer’s fighting qualities against India.

A knee injury meant the spinner missed the recent clean sweep of the West Indies under England’s new leadership team of head coach Charlotte Edwards and captain Nat Sciver-Brunt.

Ecclestone then took a break from playing for Lancashire to manage a sore quad and “prioritise her wellbeing” but she is in contention for England’s tour-opening T20 against India tomorrow.

It would be her first international appearance since the Women’s Ashes debacle in early February, with England whitewashed 16-0 in the multi-format series, and Beaumont will be glad to have Ecclestone back.

“For her to get back fit is brilliant,” Beaumont said. “She’s such a key part of our team, she’s one of the best bowlers in the world and has been for years.

“The fact we obviously did so well against the West Indies without her, I think it will be great to welcome someone like that back in, particularly her character in that dressing room.

“She’s always someone you want in the heat of the battle, she gets stuck in and we’re going to need that against India, for certain.”

With former captain Heather Knight out for the summer after suffering a significant hamstring tendon issue, Beaumont will be hoping to edge out Paige Scholfield for a spot in England’s XI on her home ground of Trent Bridge this weekend.

Knight believes she is on track to be fit for the World Cup which is scheduled to begin on September 30, with England’s opening match coming against South Africa on October 3.

“That World Cup is what I’m aiming for, it’s what I’ve got my sights set on,” Knight told the PA news agency.

“There’s always bumps in the road with rehab but hopefully everything goes smoothly and I can be back early September and get a bit of cricket in before the World Cup.

“Things are tracking pretty well to hopefully be fit for that. It’s healing well.

“We’re not gonna rush things. It’s a pretty gnarly injury: I ripped off the tendon quite well from the bone, so I have to be a little bit careful coming back.”