GARETH Batty deserves to be picked for England's autumn tour to Pakistan, insists Worcestershire head coach Steve Rhodes.

England's selectors are set to announce their travelling Test squad of 16 and one-day party of 15 next Monday.

Most of the Test selections will have already been made, with England's settled and successful Ashes-winning team guaranteed a flight to the sub-continent.

An area under scrutiny, however, will be on who partners Ashley Giles in the spin bowling department.

Batty, 27, is favourite to join Giles as England's number two, but his position is under threat following a comparatively under-performing season with the ball.

The off-spinner has taken just 35 first-class victims at 35.64 for the County, a huge down-turn on his three previous years at New Road, although injuries and involvement in the two-Test series against Bangladesh in April and May curtailed his appearances.

In his favour, Batty is a member of England's 25-man development squad and boasts several years of experience at international level.

He was chosen for England's last four touring squads and holds seven Tests and six One-Day Internationals to his name.

Warwickshire's Alex Loudon and Hampshire veteran Shaun Udal are touted as alternatives, while England could plump for three spinners with Pakistan's dust-bowl wickets in mind.

Rhodes believes his fellow Yorkshireman deserves the nod and is confident he will be, given England's approach in continuity of selection.

"Gareth thoroughly deserves to go along with Ashley Giles," said Rhodes. "He's never let England down. If they are looking to select people with continuity in mind, then Gareth needs to be in that touring party.

"Usually, he's taking 50 first-class wickets in a season and that's been fantastic for a spinner. But he's had a couple of injuries and he was selected for England earlier this summer, which meant he missed a couple of games.

"He played his part against Bangladesh and has played regular Tests for a while now. His batting has improved this year and he fields well too. I'm sure England recognise that."

England arrive in Pakistan on October 26 and the itinerary begins with three Test matches in Multan, Faisalabad and Lahore. Five ODI's will then take place in Lahore, Karachi and Rawalpindi before the squad flies back into Britain on December 22.

Worcestershire's overseas fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar has told the Pakistan Cricket Board that he is fit and committed to playing his part in the series.