By Oliver Brett

Flintoff is hungry to make a quick return to Test cricket

But if Andrew Flintoff is named in England's Test squad to face New Zealand at Lord's on 15 May, a little shiver of excitement will warm the heart of many a cricket fan.

With his future on the line, he went under the knife of a Dutch surgeon last October for a fourth operation on the ankle which sustains up to 10 times his body weight - almost a tonne - every time he bowls.

The 30-year-old started bowling competitively again in March, during Lancashire's tour of the United Arab Emirates, and he targeted the first Test against New Zealand as his comeback match.

So should the selectors include him when they announce the squad at 0930 BST on Sunday?

Phil Tufnell, the former England spinner who will be commentating for Test Match Special at Lord's, said he would not pick Flintoff for the first Test.

"He's just done well, got a few wickets for Lancashire, but I think you've got to use the guys who did well in New Zealand," Tufnell told BBC Sport.

"The bowlers really dragged us round when we were 1-0 down in the series.

"It's a very difficult call, because having an all-rounder like Flintoff gives you so much flexibility, but I would like to see him get more strength in his ankle and some of the rust out of his bones.

They need to make sure the ankle is 100%. You wouldn't take a knackered racehorse to Aintree for the Grand National Andy Caddick

"Once he's done the miles and got the wickets and is blasting on all cylinders then he can play for England, but I would leave it for a little while yet."

Andy Caddick, a 62-Test veteran (playing 14 of them with Flintoff), has a slightly different view.

"Any side in the world would have Andrew Flintoff - they are desperate to have him," he told BBC Sport.

"But the selectors have to be sure he can withstand the strains of Test cricket. In the past they've picked him too early.

"They need to make sure the ankle is 100%. You wouldn't take a racehorse to Aintree for the Grand National if it's knackered before you go."

With so much cricket upon us this summer, and England favoured to beat New Zealand in the Tests even without Flintoff, a cautious approach at this stage would not be the worst policy for the selectors to adopt.

Between 1989 and 2002, England lost seven straight Test series against Australia, meaning an entire generation of England cricketers - such as Alec Stewart and Graham Thorpe - would never taste Ashes success.

But then, in the summer of 2005, it all came gloriously right - and the hero on so many occasions in that extraordinary series was Flintoff.

The following year, he was inspirational as captain in Mumbai when England won the final Test. And as recently as last September he dismissed Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid and Mahendra Dhoni in the decider of the one-day series as England beat India at Lord's.

606: DEBATE I wonder why he can seem to get back in with the ball fairly simply yet almost forget how to hold a bat? SleepyDougal

There is an intangible aura about Flintoff. He can do things with bat and ball that defy logic. In the 2005 Test at Edgbaston, he hit four sixes with an injured left shoulder, returning to take three wickets on the same day.

Justin Langer, one of the opposition batsmen in that series, used his most recent BBC column as a eulogy to Flintoff - a most unusual thing for an Australian cricketer.

Langer called the big Lancastrian simply "the best fast bowler in the world" and therefore worthy of his place in the side even if he was to bat at number 11.

On 2 May, England captain Michael Vaughan gave an interview to The Times with a surprisingly clear assessment of where he felt Flintoff should play in the team.

In the absence of the big Lancastrian, England have settled on a gameplan that allows for one fewer bowler than they had in 2005.

Lancashire pair Anderson and Flintoff - England team-mates too?

And Vaughan said: "Whilst five bowlers might be ideal, it is certainly possible to do with four in Test cricket.

"That's the way I'm looking right now. Most other Test teams have a number six who averages 45 in Test cricket, so I'm looking at Flintoff at seven and four bowlers."

The inference appears to be that Flintoff would follow Ian Bell as one of four bowlers, with the wicket-keeper Tim Ambrose at eight, followed by three out of Ryan Sidebottom, Stuart Broad, James Anderson, Matthew Hoggard and Monty Panesar.

Such a set-up would give a strong-looking tail - an area of real weakness in recent England teams.

Mark Davies (Durham bowler): "To get someone like Andrew Flintoff first ball was a massive relief, but I think he was a bit annoyed because he was bowling really fast at the end when I went into bat. It was quite scary."

Justin Langer (Somerset batsman): "I was shocked at the ferocity of the Flintoff onslaught at Old Trafford. For about an hour I could have been in the boxing ring with Joe Calzaghe. My ribs, elbow and chest were so bruised."

Paul Collingwood (Durham and England batsman): "He looks fit. He's running in and hitting the pitch hard. He's moving freely, which is good news for all concerned."

Marcus Trescothick (Somerset batsman): "That's as good as he'll bowl. Bowling-wise, he's ready. He bowled really well, very consistent pace. It was normal Freddie."

Coach John Bracewell made a telling point just hours after the tourists landed in London in late April.

He said Flintoff was "one of those personalities that need to be in the game". That comment alone highlights the great temptation for England's selectors to pick him now.

However Bracewell also added bluntly: "As a coach, I don't want to face him." And his captain Daniel Vettori said: "He's one of the better players in the world, so if he's not playing I suppose it makes it a little bit easier."

Selectors Geoff Miller, James Whitaker and Ashley Giles have a dilemma on their hands.

Picking Flintoff would be the sort of positive move that would ensure big attendances for the first few Tests, and potentially create more outside interest in a series competing against the launch of the Indian Premier league.

But there's quite a lot that suggests they may not be so bold.

Has he really been able to test the ankle enough to be able to ensure it can last a series of five-day matches? Who will be dropped from the team who won the last two Tests England played?

Flintoff's always going to be intimidating with the bat, but he needs some runs under his belt Phil Tufnell

Perhaps most poignantly of all, even if his bowling is up to scratch, his batting certainly is not.

Langer may insist that Flintoff could bat at 11 if necessary, but the player himself would surely baulk at being anywhere lower than seven in the order.

And yet he is seriously struggling for runs. In his latest match, against Durham, he faced a total of six balls in two innings, and scored no runs at all.

Tufnell feels Flintoff gives England "such an explosive opportunity with the bat" that he must continue to bat at seven at the lowest.

But he also acknowledges that the player "needs to get some runs under his belt".

He hasn't done it yet and England's selectors must surely let him find his batting form outside the Test arena for now.