And so this is nearly Christmas . . . and England's winter Test series in Sri Lanka starts in Kandy on Saturday. Clearly the tour has a lower profile than last year's Aussie debacle, when every morning we would pull the duvet further  over our heads on hearing the nightmare of the previous night. But in some ways, this is a defining tour for Peter Moores and Co for the following reasons:

Can Steve Harmison rediscover his form? The Durham paceman is already a doubt for Saturday in what is a crucial series following a disastrous Ashes and summer 'holiday'. Harmison, like so many of the current England squad, played way above his form in the famous Ashes series victory in 2005 but two-and-a-half years on, he is a big worry. And testing some of the finest batsmen in the world in their own back yard would have been perfect for Harmison.

How will the England squad react to the ECB 'gagging order'? Following the storm which erupted over previous coach Duncan Fletcher's book, where he slated Andrew Flintoff, the ECB is understandably concerned about leaks to the marauding press corps following the team. Hugh Morris, the ECB's managing director, said: "Censorship is not on our agenda, but we don't want players, or members of the coaching staff for that matter, fearing that anything they say or do in the sacred confines of the dressing room is revealed in a book months later." This kind of 'big brother' mentality could affect squad morale.

How will England cope without Flintoff? If ever a man epitomised the spirit of 2005 it was the Lancashire all-rounder who is one of the few players in the world capable of turning a game on his own. Yes, Paul Collingwood is steady, at times brilliant even, and we know about Kevin Pietersen's ability with the bat. But a Flintoff comes along once in a generation and England simply do not have that kind of all-round talent in the squad.

What about the youngsters? Ravi Bopara (22), Stuart Broad (21) and Alastair Cook (22) are the babes in the wood. Cook already has 21 Tests under his belt with a near 45 average and six centuries. He is a real talent and could go a very long way. With Andrew Strauss temporarily out of the frame, this could be the tour for Cook to permanently seal the opening slot.

'Testing some of the finest batsmen in the world in their own back-yard would have been perfect for Harmison'

Broad will be getting his first Test outing and it's incredible that he only made his first-class debut in 2005 while his current colleagues were securing the famous urn. His 112 wickets in 33 first-class games at 28 is better than par, but he will be severely tested against Kumar Sangakkara and Co. Bopara is perhaps the most interesting of the young trio. This young lad from Forest Gate oozes talent and has earned his Test debut. If Moores is serious about the future, he has got to give Broad and Bopara plenty of action.

Add to the mix Monty Panesar and Ian Bell, two class acts and the ever reliable Collingwood, Matthew Hoggard and Ryan Sidebottom, and you have a solid-looking squad who, on their day, can beat the Lankans. The hosts have come off a poor tour to Australia where Muttiah Muralitharan disappointed. But the maestro from Kandy is only four wickets away from equalling Shane Warne's record of 708, so expect some fireworks when that record goes.