Samit Patel is hoping his performance in this week's Lions matches can force his way into England's plans for the winter - and a possible emotional trip to his parents' homeland in India.

The 23-year-old Nottinghamshire all-rounder is in the squad for two Lions one-day matches against South Africa at Leicester on Thursday and at Derby on Saturday before he links up with England's one-day squad for the NatWest series in Edinburgh on Sunday.

It is the first time Patel, born in Leicester of Indian parents, has featured in the senior England set-up and puts him on course for possible selection for both the Champions Trophy in Pakistan and the Stanford Twenty20 match in Antigua.

Selection for either of those trips would be a significant achievement for the left-arm spinner, who also has a first-class batting average of 46.07, but it is the Test and one-day series in India which would be regarded as a dream come true in the Patel household.

His father Rohit and mother Sejal both hail from the north west province of Gujarat, where England will play the first Test in Ahmedabad on December 11, while there are a number of relatives also hoping for his selection.

"I've never played cricket in India so it would be a big deal for me if I were picked to go on England's tour of India this winter," admitted Patel.

"I've got aunts and grandparents over there and they'd really support me. Ahmedabad would be a big match for me - it's daunting really."

Before Patel, a practising Hindu who can also speak Gujarati, can begin visualising touring India as England's second spinner, he must first impress enough in the next few weeks to earn his place in England tours before then.

He has already been selected in England's provisional 30-man squad for the Champions Trophy, which has to be whittled down to 15 once security fears are resolved, and stands every chance of getting an opportunity during the NatWest series against South Africa, which comprises a Twenty20 International and five one-day internationals.

Then there is the prospect of earning vast fortunes by earning a place in the Stanford squad, although he stressed: "I've not thought about the Antigua match.

"It's all been a bit too quick for me the last two weeks, really. My mind has been going at 100mph and I've been overwhelmed that I've been picked so I have just got to keep doing what I have been doing for Notts and hopefully it will all work for me.

"I cannot stress enough how much I want to get out there and play for England. Since I got the call I have been thinking about how I would bowl at particular South African batsmen.

"You can't really think too much about it, it has to happen on instinct. I've watched the coverage, but I'm sure we'll have team meetings about them as well.

"I've been visualising their shots and the way they play, visualising what they will do in a certain situation of an over, maybe off the first ball and last ball of an over - I visualise what they would try to do to me if I was bowling when I was batting."

Patel has already made quite an impression in limited-overs cricket this summer, claiming 14 wickets at just 13.5 runs apiece for Nottinghamshire in the Friends Provident Trophy and he also averaged 42.33 with the bat, including 114 against Durham in the quarter-final.

That ability with the bat potentially gives him a chance to challenge Monty Panesar for a place as England's Test spinner and Patel admitted he sought the advice of New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori during his brief stay at Trent Bridge as an overseas player five years ago.

"I look up to Danny Vettori," said Patel. "He has a great Test record and one-day record and you'd be daft not to look at him the way he bowls.

"He's been great, he was really good. I picked his brains. He wasn't there (at Nottinghamshire) for that long which is a shame, but he is one of the top left-arm spinners."

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