Matt Prior is set for Test return after making spectacular recovery

Matt Prior is expected to make his Test comeback on Thursday just weeks after fearing he might not play cricket again all summer.

During the early part of the season, Prior had been struggling with the Achilles problems that have affected his career in recent years and late last month there appeared little chance he would be fit to play for England against Sri Lanka at Lord’s this week, the first Investec Test of the summer.

Standard Sport understands there were even concerns that Prior would miss a substantial chunk of the season as he was struggling to make progress.

With limited-overs star Jos Buttler pressing his claims to be England’s wicketkeeper in Tests, there was extra pressure on Prior, 32, who was dropped for the final two Tests of last winter’s disastrous Ashes tour.

Prior has had injections and several scans have been taken to try to determine the nature of the problem yet still he struggled to put weight on the tendon, with running proving particularly difficult.

But in the last fortnight, Prior has made a spectacular recovery and, after keeping wicket in Sussex’s recent County Championship fixture against Nottinghamshire at Hove, Prior arrives at Lord’s believing he is as fit as he has been for some time.

While doubts linger about whether he will be able to come through a five-day Test, Prior is confident he is as fit as he has been for some time.

Prior is thought to have been using the rehabilitation facilities at Brighton Football Club to try to make it back for the First Test.

Working closely with the England physiotherapists, he has been following a detailed recovery programme that has restricted the amount of cycling he has been able to do. Prior is a keen cyclist and had credited his work on the bike with the improvement in his Achilles condition last year.

All eyes will be on Prior on Thursday morning but it is understood that, had he had any doubts about his ability to come through a Test, he would have ruled himself out.

Along with Jimmy Anderson and Stuart Broad, Prior is part of a core of experienced players who captain Alastair Cook will rely upon heavily as he tries to lead England into a new era.