Nixon's opportunities in Pakistan and Sri Lanka are likely to be limited to warm-up games with Alec Stewart certain to play in all six Test, providing he remains fit.
That said, his entire experience with Watson is underscored by a deep appreciation for the power of the human brain, which can do in seconds using material that can fit into a shoebox what it takes six refrigerators' worth of machinery to do.
Aston Villa frontman Emile Heskey would appear to be Capello's first-choice striker to play alongside Rooney in attack, having started the last six matches for which he was fit and available.
Highly-rated open-side flanker Lewis suffered a similar injury in May and is six weeks into his own rehabilitation programme with the region expecting him to be fit again by November.