The family man

Giles, though, looked the part. He combined an ability to 'think out' batsmen with a consistency of line and length, a high action and natural loop and flight.

In the first Test at Lahore, where he was playing only his second Test for England, he took four wickets in Pakistan's only innings.

In the second match, he was warming to his task and claimed his first five-wicket haul as England - and Giles himself - began to believe in themselves.

Then, in the deciding Karachi Test, he took seven in the match, crucially sparking Pakistan's second innings collapse by dismissing Yousuf Youhana.

The Test cricket world, it seemed, was Giles' oyster.

The 28-year-old had totally eclipsed his more senior partner Ian Salisbury, and had effectively masked the Surrey leg-spinner's shortcomings at the highest level.

Giles strikes in Pakistan

But on the tour of Sri Lanka, Giles intially disappointed. He had just one wicket for 239 runs in the first two Tests on pitches which in theory should have suited him pretty well.

It was there that the sore Achilles tendon which was to dog Giles for the majority of the England summer began to cause him problems.

He fought back in style as England won the series at Colombo, taking four for 11.

Then the Achilles nightmare resurfaced. He missed both Tests against Pakistan at home and only managed one Ashes Test, where he struggled to make any impression.

Sadly, the Achilles problem is a long-term issue. Giles only just made it onto the plane to fly out to India, and was not considered fit to play in the first Test, when England could have done with him.

Talking things over with Duncan Fletcher

Many observers also reckoned picking him in the starting eleven for Ahmedabad was too big a risk.

How wrong they were.

Three days into the Test, the two bowlers who have prospered are those who naturally turn the ball away from the right-hander.

Anil Kumble took seven wickets when England batted and now Giles has claimed his second five-wicket haul, in what is only his ninth Test appearance.

At least one thing has been cleared up. There was a time when Giles was the perennial 12th man, a solid county pro whose tight bowling and useful lower order batting were handy to have around.

But perhaps, so the thinking went, he was not quite good enough for the international stage.

He was chosen 34 times for the one day squad, five times he made the team and then he was the 12th man for England's final Test of the summer of 2000 against the West Indies.

Surely he won't be carrying out the drinks any more.