John Terry may end his 'captaincy punishment' and have the armband restored for England's forthcoming 2012 European Championship qualifying tie against Wales.

Rio Ferdinand is virtually certain to miss the encounter at the Millennium Stadium on March 26 as he is only just ready to return to training after the calf injury that has kept the Manchester United defender out for six weeks.

Ferdinand's deputy, Liverpool's Steven Gerrard, is already sidelined after undergoing a groin operation.

The armband merry-go-round during the friendly in Denmark last month suggested the captaincy could shuffle on down to Terry's Chelsea team-mate Frank Lampard, with Wayne Rooney or Gareth Barry as vice-captain for not only the Wales tie but the friendly against Ghana at Wembley on March 29.

However, media reports in London are suggesting Capello is considering whether to re-appoint Terry more than a year after stripping him of the honour in the wake of a well-publicised personal scandal.

The FA has continued to insist that the matter is one for manager Fabio Capello to determine. In Terry's favour is his more consistent fitness.

He has featured in eight of the 13 games England have played since he lost the captaincy, compared with immediate replacement Ferdinand, who has only managed four appearances and missed the entire World Cup finals after eve-of-event injury.

Capello not due to name his squad until March 20.