London: The England team management announced Amjad Khan as the replacement for the fast-bowling berth, left vacant by Ryan Sidebottom’s injury, at a team meeting during practice on Sunday. Yorkshire leg-spinner Adil Rashid, 20, will also travel to Chennai .

Khan, 28, whose parents are from Pakistan, has been on Kent’s books for eight years and qualified for England in 2006. “It’s a dream come true,” said Khan. “Although I never actually thought of playing for England growing up.”

He only returned from a career-threatening knee injury last summer but has impressed coach Peter Moores and captain Kevin Pietersen with his pace and ability to reverse-swing the ball during three days of practice at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium.

Khan edged out Sajid Mahmood in the selection equation — the pair were drafted in as one-day cover hours before the tour was aborted in the wake of the Mumbai terror attacks.“I must have done something right in the last couple of days,” said Khan.

“Saj and I got picked for the one-dayers and I thought if they were going to pick me then there was no reason they should not pick me for the Tests.

“I thought I had a chance but I knew it would come down to form on the day — that sort of stuff.

“I first believed I could play for England probably in 2002 when I took 60 wickets in a season and I was only 21. People talked about what it took to play international cricket and I felt that I had most of the attributes. “From then on it has been a battle — I had a couple of poor seasons but that is when I first realised what my potential could be.”

So how does a former Danish international feel about heading back to India on a full England tour following the disruption provided by the Mumbai attacks?

“I am quite excited obviously,” he said. “Since being successful at Kent it is something I started dreaming about.

“When I got the passport I was pretty close but I got injured so to overcome that injury is pretty emotional, and I am happy about it... It took me a while, about two months, to get back to the old pace but now I am probably better than I was before.