2011 and 2012: India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka
The 2011 English cricket season began in April. Bresnan suffered a recurrence of his calf injury and as a result was ruled out of England's three-match Test series against Sri Lanka. His return to fitness saw Bresnan pressuring the out of form Stuart Broad for the all-rounder's berth in the Test team, however it was an injury to seamer Chris Tremlett ahead of the second Test that allowed Bresnan back into the side for the first time since the Ashes. Bresnan's all-round effort, which included an innings of 90 and Test-best bowling figures of 5/48, helped England secure a 319-run win over India and go 2–0 up in the series. His haul of 5/48 was the first time Bresnan has taken five wickets in a Test innings. In September, for the first time Bresnan was awarded one of 13 central contracts with the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) until September 2012.
When England toured India in October for five ODIs, Anderson was rested and Broad was injured, leaving Bresnan as the team's most experienced fast bowler. England slumped to a 5–0 defeat. During this whitewash Bresnan suffered problems with his elbow. He subsequently underwent surgery to remove a bone fragment from his elbow. Though included in England's touring party in January 2012 for the Test series against Pakistan in the UAE Bresnan did not recover from his surgery in time to take part in the series, but did play in one of the five ODIs that followed the Tests. Next England played two Tests in Sri Lanka in March and April. After missing the first match, Bresnan played in the second at the expense of spin bowler Monty Panesar; England won the match to draw the series 1–1, protecting their status in the ICC Test Championship as the best team in the world.
Read more about this topic: Tim Bresnan, International Career