By Paul Fletcher

Giles is working on his match fitness

England's Ashley Giles will be fit for the Ashes, according to the team's spin bowling coach David Parsons.

Giles, 33, has not played international cricket since the second Test in Pakistan last November and missed the entire summer after surgery on his hip.

But Parsons told BBC Sport: "He will be fighting fit and raring to go by the time England touch down in Australia.

"The last couple of weeks I have been working quite closely with Ashley and he is coming on strong."

Interview: England spinner Ashley Giles

Giles had an initial operation on his hip in December 2005 and was confident of playing again this summer before it became apparent a second operation was needed.

The Warwickshire player is now back bowling in the nets after undergoing surgery in America in June.

And he will travel to India in October with England's Champions Trophy squad, but not as a player.

Parsons said: "He is genuinely making good progress.

"It is all timed towards making sure he is ready for Australia and from what I have seen he is very much on course for that."

Ashley is very excited about getting back to playing England spin bowling coach David Parsons

Despite his lengthy spell on the sidelines, Giles was included in the 16-man Ashes party when it was unveiled on 12 September.

And Parsons is confident the one-day tournament will play a key role in developing Giles' match fitness.

"Ashley still has a considerable period of time - England don't play their first game in Australia until 10 November," he went on.

"He will benefit from the time he spends in India. He has got himself very physically fit.

"He is back to bowling and it is now a case of getting the volumes up so that when he is in a Test match and required to bowl 25 overs in an afternoon he can do that.

"Ashley is very excited about getting back to playing."

Giles is one of several players in the Ashes squad to have been troubled by injury.

James Anderson had missed the entire summer before playing in Lancashire's final Pro40 match, while Liam Plunkett has not bowled since July.

Steve Harmison is recovering from a back injury, Andrew Flintoff is yet to bowl after an operation on his ankle and Matthew Hoggard is battling a minor side strain.

Giles played an important role in England's 2005 Ashes victory.