England captain Alastair Cook highlighted the confidence aspect while summing up his team’s nine-run victory here on Saturday. England had lost the previous two one-day series 0-5.
“It (the win) is important for the main reason that it gives us confidence. It’s pretty much the same squad that we had last time out here. So to get an early win, it proves to themselves that they can play in these conditions.
“You know it’s hard, you know it’s tough and it’s different, but I thought the way we fought out, we’re going to have to do that again in the other games.
“But more than the confidence, the key is our skills which I thought we did okay. We can always get better. Holding your nerve in these conditions, especially for bowlers, is very tough,’’ said Cook who made a confident half century.
He said runs will be scored when teams chase a total like 325. “It’s very hard to stop the runs. I thought we didn’t get too carried away by their start. We know what Tredders (James Tredwell) does. To get four from there (96 for no loss) was really a brilliant effort.”
Underdog
In spite of a winning start Cook regarded his team as the underdog, just because India is a strong team and playing in home conditions. “It was really a good 50-overs game for us. We’re going to have to refresh well and keep practicing as hard as we can.”
Tredwell was obviously happy to come out of the match with a career-best four wicket haul and the man of the match award.
“Hopefully I can keep putting together performances and keep my hat in the ring for future opportunities. I have to try and keep improving and put in the performances when I do get the chance and show them what I can do in training.
“And hopefully I get a few games along the way. They (Indian batsmen) are obviously good players of spin, but any international player you come up against is a good player, so they all mean a lot,” said Tredwell keen to emulate Graeme Swann and Monty Panesar’s success in India.
