Steve Rhodes says any involvement by England all-rounder Moeen Ali in Worcestershire's early season programme will be a welcome "bonus".
England play the third and final ODI against the West Indies in the Caribbean on March 9 and do not return to action until the first of two ODIs with Ireland on May 5.
It potentially leaves a window for England players to return to county action during the initial part of the 2017 season.
But Rhodes knows it will be down to the England management to decide whether to rest players ahead of a hectic summer – particularly those involved in all formats – or want them to get in some action.
Worcestershire's Director Of Cricket said: "It will all depend on what England want. Mo is their player.
"They have priority on him and, as always with Mo, it will be a bonus if he plays.
"That is the only way of looking at it, to more or less take him out of the equation and use him as a bonus player when he is available."
Moeen was able to play in three early season County Championship matches in 2016 and scored a century against Gloucestershire at Bristol.
He is part of the England squad today (Tuesday) for the first of two warm-up matches against India A in Mumbai tomorrow ahead of the three ODIs and three T20Is against the host nation.
The 29-year-old had just two weeks back in England after nearly three months away in Bangladesh and India from early October to late December.
