England coach Peter Moores said Monday he was hopeful Andrew Flintoff would be fit to face India at The Oval here on Wednesday.

Flintoff, 29, missed Sunday's rain-affected defeat to India at Headingley, which clawed England's NatWest Series advantage back to 3-2, with more discomfort in his left ankle.

Having already missed last week's victory at Edgbaston with an unrelated knee niggle, Flintoff jarred his ankle, which has been operated on three times in the past couple of years, in a foot hole at Old Trafford last Thursday.

He will be reassessed at practice at The Oval on Tuesday -- fellow allrounder Ravi Bopara (dislocated thumb) and fast bowler Chris Tremlett (foot) are also under current observation.

Moores, reflecting on Flintoff's spate of injuries, said: "Yes, I feel for him.

"He has been great since he has been back. He has had a real buzz about him, a real energy and people have seen that when he has been on the field.

"You could see he had his passion back which is what he is like when he plays his best cricket. He has been a real boost for the squad and has been involved in deciding how we should play in one-day cricket, which has been really helpful for Paul Collingwood, the team and myself.

"He has been sat on his back side for a long time and he desperately wants to play.

"The people I have spoken to so far are still pretty optimistic and he may be okay on Wednesday, then he can get on and play the sort of cricket he loves to do.

"All we can do is go through the right processes and keep our fingers crossed that the ankle will settle down. It isn't too major, he can get himself away and it becomes a manageable problem."

Decisions are pending on whether Flintoff and Bopara can travel to South Africa on Sunday for the World Twenty20, leaving England perhaps in a position where they have to gamble on players who are not 100 percent fit.

Moores said: "You can't take anybody that is too injured because the tournamentis so short.

"It starts on the 12th and finishes on the 25th and there is a quick turnaround in games."