Gibbs withdrew from the trip because he feared being detained by the Indian police over his involvement in the match-fixing scandal three years ago.

"I simply couldn't take the chance to go to India," he told the Afrikaans Rapport newspaper.

"In the meantime I have been hard at work to get ready for England's tour."

Gibbs served a six-month ban for his part in the Hansie Cronje affair after accepting the offer of money from his then captain but claiming he never took the cash.

However Delhi Police have refused to give assurances that either he or co-accused Nicky Boje, who is set to go on the two-Test tour as vice-captain, will not be imprisoned.

Gibbs will have to force his way back into a new-look squad under the command of new coach Ray Jennings.

Slowed by an ankle injury he endured a difficult tour of Sri Lanka in August, averaging 13.29 in all forms of the game.

But he broke out of the patch of poor form in more helpful conditions with a century against West Indies in the ICC Champions Trophy at The Oval.

Overall he averages almost 50 from 60 Tests with 13 centuries, including two against England when South Africa last visited in 2003.