I think Paul Collingwood and Kevin Pietersen as batsmen and Flintoff again will be the key figures. I really do think the Indians will get a surprise in the one-dayers from the little left-arm spinner Samit Patel. He has been a surprise choice for England. He has a low centre of gravity, he keeps the ball low and he doesn't throw it up in the air too much. He is not easy to hit in one-day cricket.
I also think India are under pressure. England have a better chance of beating India now because my Prince of Calcutta, Sourav Ganguly, is gone. Kumble is gone. Rahul Dravid is struggling to get runs in Tests and he's the next to go. There is huge pressure from the BCCI for Sachin Tendulkar and VVS Laxman to retire also. I think that's wrong, but that is only my opinion. They are very good players and it makes it very hard for them when they are under the cosh from their board. It is not easy to perform with people telling them to retire. That is just extra stress that a player doesn't need. So in many ways it is a good time for England to be playing in India.
English cricket writers have been cynical no doubt. But this one is super cynical. For heaven’s sake India have just trumped Aussies 2-0, the best in the world and England have lost a Test series to SA 1-2 and lost a Stanford T20 after being dismissed for 99 and then for 98 against a 3rd string Mumbai team in a tour game in India. Yet England good to beat India ? Wow.
