Ian Blackwell has big shoes to fill in.

The last time England [Images] toured India, in 2001-02, their left-arm spinner choked the Indian batting with a strategic masterstroke: repeatedly bowling on the leg-side.

Ashley Giles's negative line forced Sachin Tendulkar [Images] to step down the track in frustration and, in the process, register the only 'stumped out' dismissal against his name in Tests.

Since then Giles has gone on to become England's main spin bowler, picking 140 wickets from 52 matches.

But Giles was ruled out of the India tour following a hip injury, making way for Blackwell to be drafted into the England squad.

So what will be Blackwell's role?

"I understand we have four seam bowlers who will be very good on Indian tracks," said Blackwell, in his first media session in Mumbai on Tuesday.

"The spinners will have to play a more containing role."

Asked about bowling over-the-wicket, outside the leg-stump, the 28-year-old from Derbyshire replied that the strategy would depend on the situation.

"It is not necessarily a negative line; it depends when you are using it. If the opposition is 180 for 1 and you use it, it could be called negative. But even bowling within that six-inch square is an art."

The stocky all-rounder, who has played 28 one-day internationals since making his debut in the 2002 Champions Trophy in Sri Lanka [Images], has played against India only once. Though it was a nightmare for the rest of the team, Blackwell could well take heart from the fact that he was the only wicket-taker in the game, which saw India whip England by nine wickets.

The left-arm spinner had Virender Sehwag [Images] caught and bowled as India blazed to the target of 270 runs in only 39.3 overs. He also contributed 82 runs with the bat.

But from then on the journey has been rather rocky for the bowler.

While the count of his hard-hitting knocks stopped with the India match and his bowling lacks the cutting edge, his fitness attracted the most criticism.

Blackwell himself had once said that he would have to saw off his calf to get into shape. That's the area, coupled with his attitude, where he believes he has shown improvement.

"Well, definitely, I am a lot fitter now. I believe that should've been the case from the beginning."

The change, he says, has come since he was given the responsibility of captaining Somerset.

"If I was asked to captain a team two years ago it would be a nightmare. But it has taught me a lot more, since you have to take decisions for your team. It's a great responsibility and has also taught me to be disciplined."

Blackwell, who is looking forward to discussing spin bowling with Indian masters of the art and Hrabhajan Singh and Anil Kumble [Images], still believes that talented Sikh Monty Panesar [Images] would be the first choice spinner in India.

"I reckon he is the better of the three. He is a lot more attacking bowler than us," conceded Blackwell.

But Blackwell believes his aggressive style of batting could earn him selection ahead of the two other England spinners for the first Test against India next month.

"I'd like to think that I could perhaps do a job with the ball and possibly score a lot of runs as well," he said.

"If they do want to go along the lines of a spinner who can bat just to lend strength to the batting order then it must give me some sort of edge."

The England spin attack includes Blackwell, Panesar and Shaun Udal. They have taken three wickets between them, with all those wickets in Udal's name, and have the experience of three Tests.

Which means they will be the underdogs against the Indians, who are accomplished players of spin.

The Ashley Giles line of attack may still provide the light.