Track record gives India hope

But for this the collective confidence of the batsmen needs to return , not just in the nets but out in the middle.

The selectors have reacted by axing the out of form opener Virender Sehwag and the young Ajinkya Rahane, set to open, must take the opportunity sooner rather than later. Rahane's partner at the top Gambhir must play with an uncluttered mind and with intent if he is to overcome his tentativeness to deliveries on or moving away from the off-stump. Virat Kohli and Yuvraj Singh must make their outings count. However, the onus will be on the openers to give a good start which will in turn ease the pressure on the middle order and allow them to play freely.

Hopes from openers

Dhoni is hopeful that the new opening combination will click. "The openers have been scoring runs on and off but we have not been able to get a good partnership between them. One of them have been getting out. We are hoping to get start in this series," Dhoni explained. Steve Finn will be expected to lead the attack in the absence of James Anderson and Graeme Swann, rested as part of a rotation policy, Stuart Broad who is injured.

"We have got an inexperienced side, a few experienced players missing through injuries and rotational policy. It's quite similar to probably the squad that we had last time. So, it will be a real big test to us as players and real good test to these guys who have been around now a bit in international scene to try and step up," Cook who led the Test side to a historic win in Indian, said.

England have a new ODI coach in Ashley Giles who was part of the last team that returned from these shores without losing at ODI series. Under Naseer Hussain, England had won the final ODI in Mumbai to level 3-3 in 2002. Giles and Cook will now aim to equal if not better that feat. For that they must also hope that the Indian batting line-up don't find their collective form soon.

... contd.

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