All those returning to work after Christmas, especially to jobs they enjoy, will testify to the value of a break to recharge batteries and Andrew Strauss may be expected to prove the point soon. He should receive a recall to England (or is it Vodafone?) colours today – indeed, he has probably already had it by private telephone call – before the teams for New Zealand and the squad for the Lions tour to India in February are announced from Lord’s this afternoon.

Strauss’s quality in the field, not to mention his solid batting before his loss of form in Australia last season, were badly missed in Sri Lanka. England can expect him to come back to the Test side rejuvenated after the first-class leg of the second of the winter’s tours has begun in the middle of next month. This week he is due to play his first match for Northern Districts in New Zealand, working on the technical problems that, combined with more than his fair share of ill luck, cost him his place.

Which of Ravi Bopara and Owais Shah should make way for Strauss, whether or not to take a second spinner and which of Matt Prior, Chris Read, Phil Mustard, Tim Ambrose and James Foster should be the two wicketkeepers were the main issues to be settled by the selectors, David Graveney, Geoff Miller and Peter Moores, when they met on Wednesday night.

What is almost certain be Graveney’s final announcement, at least as chairman, is likely to include a reprieve for Prior, a first chance for Ambrose and perhaps another one for Graeme Swann. The off spinner would be a better selection than Stuart Broad to broaden the options in New Zealand, but the selectors may wait and see what happens to the fast bowlers during the one-day series before declaring which of them will stay on to augment the core pairing of Stephen Harmison and Matthew Hoggard, both of whom badly need truly authoritative performances in New Zealand.

A combination of Swann and Monty Panesar in the same team is feasible, remembering how effectively Phil Tufnell and Robert Croft combined in New Zealand in 1996-97. That said, Darren Gough, with 19 wickets in three Tests, was the real difference between the sides then. A much improved performance from the fast bowlers, wicketkeeper and close catchers after their combined failure in Sri Lanka will be the key to improvement this time.

A general vote of confidence in the combination that, under the fledgeling leadership of Paul Collinwgwood, narrowly won the one-day series in Sri Lanka is both likely and deserved.

England’s selections will look better, no doubt, whatever the final combination chosen, if Shane Bond is not picked for the New Zealand team because of hints from his agent that he has signed up to play in the ICC-disapproved Indian Cricket League (ICL). Despite his frequent injuries, Bond makes all the difference to the potency of New Zealand’s bowling. In only 17 Tests since 2001 he has taken 79 wickets at 22, figures comfortably superior to any by his team-mates or his would-be England opponents. Moreover, New Zealand have won nine of his 17 Tests.

Bond’s contract with New Zealand Cricket (NZC) expires in May. He was expected to play against England despite missing the present series of one-day internationals and Tests against Bangladesh because of the abdominal injury that emasculated New Zealand in their much more testing recent series against South Africa.

Justin Vaughan, the chief executive of NZC, conceded yesterday that the signs were worrying. “I can’t say for certain he has signed but I understand that is what his agent is saying,” Vaughan said. “Even if he has signed with the ICL, we’d love to see if there was a way to get him out of that contract. We’ll fund all the support to get him out of it, similar to what Pakistan has done with Mohammad Yousuf.”

The Dominion Post in Wellington reported that Bond’s ICL deal was likely to be worth NZ$600,000 (about £235,000), almost three times what he earned annually as an NZC-contracted player. While denying that ICL players would be banned, Vaughan has said that the selectors should consider other players ahead of those who had already joined the unauthorised league, including Hamish Marshall and Daryl Tuffey.

“Our preference is for the selectors not to choose those players,” Vaughan reiterated yesterday. “It is not a ban, but it would be fair to say if he has signed we would prefer he didn’t play in the England series.”

Possible squads

Tests: M P Vaughan, A N Cook, A J Strauss, I R Bell, K P Pietersen, P D Collingwood, O A Shah, M J Prior, R J Sidebottom, M J Hoggard, S J Harmison, M S Panesar, G P Swann, J M Anderson, T R Ambrose.

One-day: Collingwood, Cook, Bell, Pietersen, Shah, Prior, Swann, Sidebottom, Anderson, Ambrose, R S Bopara, S C J Broad, P Mustard, A D Mascarenhas, C T Tremlett, L J Wright.