Gough has been struggling with his right knee

"I'm confident I'll make the tour, everybody's confident - the surgeons, the physios, the coaches and the selectors," Gough told the BBC.

"Obviously there are no guarantees and I'm not going to stand here and say I'll definitely be 100% fit, because I thought I'd have been 100% fit after my first operation.

"But I had some backwards steps and now it's just a case of slowing down and doing it the right way."

After the frustrating delay in his rehabilitation Gough is delighted that he looks to be on the road back to full fitness.

"The knee's coming on nicely," he said. "I've really taken it easy this time.

"I'm off to Lilleshall now for two or three weeks' really hard work.

"I'll be doing a lot of strength work because you lose so much strength. I've had three operations and the strength just gradually goes out of it.

"Now it's just a case of building that up.

"Hopefully after three weeks there, and three weeks training on my own as well, I should have a great leg on me by the time we get to October."

Encouragement

Gough also revealed that he has been given the full backing of the England management.

"They're the ones who have been making all the running - they're the ones sending me to Lilleshall because they want me to be fit.

"They've said if Darren Gough is fit then he'll be there, and that's good enough for me.

"That gives me the encouragement to try and work hard and give 120% when I'm training to make sure I'm fit for when I get out there and start bowling."