England warm to challenge as India feel the chill

The temperature dropped to just 2.7C (37F) with thick fog here on Friday morning. It was colder than London, but if England felt the chill as they practised for the first time since returning to India after their short festive break, it was nothing compared with the reception the Indian team received as they arrived in Delhi for tomorrow's third and final one-day international against Pakistan.

To say it was frosty would be an understatement. In losing in Calcutta on Thursday the world champions conceded the series 2-0, their first defeat in a bilateral home one-day series in more than three years.

"New Year, New Low" screeched the headline in the Times of India. "A tame surrender" said the Indian Express. Changes are being called for in both management (with coach Duncan Fletcher's head on the block) and team personnel. Tomorrow's selection for the five-match one-day series against England beginning in Rajkot next Friday certainly should be interesting.

Former Pakistan captain Intikhab Alam, one of 19 Indian and Pakistani greats paraded to the crowd at Eden Gardens on Thursday to mark 25 years of one-day internationals between India and Pakistan at the venue, reckons it could take "about 10 years" for India to recover as a team, given the recent retirements of Rahul Dravid, VVS Laxman and Sachin Tendulkar (the latter just from one-day cricket). Delhi's fog is an apt metaphor for Indian cricket. No one can see a way forward right now.

Perfect time, then, for England to slip into the country attempting to reverse a horrible ODI record in India, which stands at 13 victories from 40 matches. Their last two series here have both been lost 5-0.

"We'll be looking to put that right," barked Tim Bresnan, suitably dressed in beanie hat and fleeced top. "We love a challenge. We proved that in the Test series, where it had been 28 years since we'd won here. This side under this establishment is capable of great things and I think there is no reason why we can't turn that record around as well."

Not that India will be underestimated, however. "It's going to be tough," admitted Bresnan, "But it is definitely a challenge that we can overcome. The Twenty20 win before Christmas [by six wickets in Mumbai after losing the first match in Pune] gave us a lot of confidence. If we play a similar sort of cricket over the longer format we should go all right."

And, of course, England have a new one-day coach in Ashley Giles, who organised practice patiently and thoroughly, even if the net facilities at the Palam A ground, where England play India A tomorrow, looked well short of top notch.

"He's been really good," said

Bresnan of Giles, "He's pretty chilled out and quite relaxed. He's sussing us out as we are sussing him out. The lads have worked really hard this morning, but it's not been that long since we were playing cricket here, so it was not that hard to get back into it."

In truth Bresnan does need to get back into it, however. With James Anderson rested for this trip (along with Graeme Swann and Jonathan Trott) and Stuart Broad (heel problem) not due to be available until the last two matches, Bresnan is now a senior figure.

"That just got mentioned," says Bresnan with a smile. "Looking around I suppose I am a little bit of the senior bowler, but there is still a lot of experience among the lads who are here, especially Finny [Steven Finn]. He's played a lot of Test cricket and bowled a lot on Indian pitches when he came out here last time [he was England's outstanding bowler in their 5-0 one-day loss in 2011]. Then there is Jade Dernbach, James Tredwell…"

Bresnan was struggling to name any more. Well, there is Stuart Meaker, and Chris Woakes. And then there is the left-arm spin of Samit Patel and Danny Briggs. This is actually an awfully callow attack England have brought to India. "I suppose I am the lead seamer," conceded Bresnan, "but I've got to get myself into the team first."

Indeed he has. His bowling has regressed conspicuously in the last year, his fabled 'nip' gone to the extent that he went wicketless in his two Tests in the 2-1 series success.

"I thought I lacked a bit of pace at times," he says in explaining his poor showings, "I was just trying too hard. It is important just to relax - as I did in the Twenty20s - especially if you're like me, wanting to keep a smile on my face."