India will be without leading batsman Sachin Tendulkar when they take on England in three one-day internationals this week prior to the ICC Champions Trophy starting on September 10.
Tendulkar missed the triangular series in the Netherlands last week because of tennis elbow and the injury will prevent him playing against England at Trent Bridge on Wednesday, The Oval on September 3 and Lord's on September 5.
He should be fit for the Champions Trophy, however, a mini-World Cup played in England featuring 12 teams.
Although India failed to reach the final of the Dutch tournament, which also included Australia and Pakistan, they only played in one completed match because of rain.
They lost that to rivals Pakistan by 66 runs but seamer Lakshmipathy Balaji impressed taking three for 27 before grabbing three for 20 in an abandoned game with Australia.
Rahul Dravid kept wicket in the Netherlands and is set to continue with the gloves against England despite both he and Indian officials hinting his one-day batting suffers.
ERRATIC ENGLAND
The conditions in the Netherlands were similar to English venues and the Indians will be looking to further hone their skills on English pitches in the three games and ready themselves for the main tournament.
England having home advantage in these practice games and the Champions Trophy itself is not much of a help to Michael Vaughan's side.
Despite excelling in the Test arena, winning 10 out of their last 11 matches, their one-day form is poor.
They failed to make the final in the triangular series with West Indies and New Zealand in June winning only one out of five completed games.
Vaughan has banished the less athletic from the ranks in a bid to find one-day form, which has been blighted by the tendency to pick too many "bits and pieces" players to go with bona fide all rounder Andrew Flintoff.
Flintoff is now the lynchpin of both one-day and test side, with his explosive but now more-controlled hitting and tight bowling putting him among the very best all rounders of recent years.
He was originally removed from the squad for the triangular series with West Indies and New Zealand because of an ankle injury but was drafted back in solely as a batsman with England desperate for his spark and influence.
England seamer Kabir Ali has a stomach injury and has been replaced by all rounder Alex Wharf for the India matches while it looks doubtful Ali will be fit for the Champions Trophy.
Vikram Solanki also returns to the one-day squad after not playing for England since November. He hit 115 in Worcestershire's defeat to Gloucestershire in English county cricket's showpiece one-day final last Saturday.
He will open the batting and captain Vaughan will bat at three, mirroring his move down the order in Test cricket where he now comes in at four.
Australia also play Pakistan at Lord's on September 4 in a one-off warm-up game for the Champions Trophy.
England (from): Michael Vaughan (captain), Marcus Trescothick, Andrew Strauss, Anthony McGrath, Andrew Flintoff, Paul Collingwood, Geraint Jones, Ashley Giles, Darren Gough, James Anderson, Steve Harmison, Gareth Batty, Alex Wharf, Vikram Solanki.
