Jones full of admiration for Lillee

Simon Jones has received invaluable tuition from Dennis Lillee at the Pace Foundation in India © Getty Images

Simon Jones has welcomed his return to fitness and, after spending the past week at Dennis Lillee's bowling academy in India, can't wait to return to bowling for his country.

Jones suffered an ankle injury during the summer, forcing him to miss the final Ashes Test against Australia and England's subsequent tour to Pakistan. For the past week, he has been honing his skills at Dennis Lillee's MRF Pace Foundation at Chennai.

"If I can achieve half as much as Dennis did, I'll be well chuffed," he told the Daily Mirror. "He still talks to me as an equal, he doesn't talk down to you.

"We've just worked on a few technical aspects, like the alignment of my front arm and front leg in delivery stride, and his advice is top-drawer," he said. "He keeps things simple and realistic and he doesn't try to over-complicate your action. Yet every time I've come away from a session with Dennis I've felt as if I've learned something new.

"He told me that, around 40 years ago, he jumped over a fence at the WACA stadium in Perth to watch my dad bowl for England and he reckons I'm a real chip off the old block."

England fly to India on February 12 for three Tests and seven one-dayers, and will want to drastically improve upon their performance in Pakistan in November. Jones, whose absence arguably affected England greater than they anticipated, says his expertise of reverse-swing could be a deciding factor in the series.

"It's been ideal preparation for the tour - it's nice to get outside and bowl again because you can go stir-crazy when you're stuck indoors all winter," he said. "I've also had a sneak preview of the conditions, and although we will be using a different type of ball to the ones we used during the Ashes, there is a bit of reverse swing over here.

"A couple of years ago I took five wickets in an innings twice for the A team, so I know my style of bowling can be effective on Indian pitches. They say you always become a better player when you are not in the England side, and a lot of people have been saying they missed me in Pakistan before Christmas.

"I wouldn't know about that, but I'm looking forward to linking up with the boys again and trying to start us off on another winning run - and I know the last week out here in Madras has put me in good stead for the tour."