Future bodes well - Moores

Peter Moores thinks the losing experience will be very useful

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Peter Moores is confident England can bounce back from the disappointment of their first home Test series defeat in six years and become a better side because of the experience.

The England coach suffered a disappointing end to his first summer in the role with India claiming a 1-0 series triumph - their first on English soil since 1986 - by securing a draw in the final npower Test at The Oval.

It was a disappointing end to a summer which began so brightly with a 3-0 series victory over West Indies and could have been so different had weather not foiled England with India hanging on nine wickets down on the final day in the opening Test at Lord's.

But despite losing their unbeaten home Test record, Moores believes the experience of playing against such a talented India side will serve England well in the future and particularly aid the development of the younger players drafted in to cover for injuries this summer.

James Anderson rediscovered his early talent © Getty Images

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"We've got to grow as a team, we've got a lot of new players in there and it is a new look team," said Moores, who has been without key all-rounder Andrew Flintoff (ankle), Sajid Mahmood (hernia), Matthew Hoggard (thigh and back) and Steve Harmison (hernia) for most of the summer.

"Some guys have played a bit more, like Jimmy Anderson coming back into the team, but players like Ryan Sidebottom and Chris Tremlett are new and coming through something like this grows you as a team.

"Like most things it is going to grow and get better. The extra bit for teams is the bit you never see and that takes a bit of time to grow and they go through experiences together learning how to operate with each other to get the best out of each other.

"We've seen the team change a little bit due to injuries to Harmison and Hoggard so new bowlers have come in and that is going to be one of the challenges the team has got."

The emergence of several new members of their bowling attack has, at least, given Moores new options as he begins to consider the make-up of his squad for the Test tour to Sri Lanka.

Flintoff is pencilled in to return for the seven-match one-day series against India, which starts at the Rose Bowl on August 21, while both Hoggard and Harmison should be available for selection again for the Sri Lanka Test tour.

Andrew Flintoff has been pencilled in © Getty Images

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It presents Moores with potential problems of selection for both the Test tour and this year's central contracts, which are due to be announced in the coming weeks.

"The discussions have started (about central contracts) and the way they've worked in the past is that they have got to be pretty well earned. you've got to work hard to get them," explained Moores.

"We've got people just in the start of their careers and it is about how they go - that decision hasn't been made just yet and we need to see how people progress.

"The whole idea is that you've played well over a period of time to get them. I've been in the first initial discussions and it has been a thorough process that hasn't finished yet.

"There are no numbers being put on it yet. Everyone is individual and if it warrant them getting one then they get one. They are obviously quite a sensitive subject not only for the player but for the clubs they come from because of the impact on budget."

Moores denied speculation that the number of central contracts could be affected by the cost of hiring the new managing director and chief selector of English cricket - as recommended by the Schofield report - and insisted his role would not be diminished by those appointments.

"I've been told it won't," said Moores. "That job (managing director) is more of an overseeing job for our top-end cricket.

Ken Schofield

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"My job is to run the England team and the support staff with it and set the strategies we take forward along with the captain and the senior players - I don't see it getting in the way."

For now, though, Moores' thoughts are turning to the one-day series starting next week and formulating a squad for November's Test tour, which may not be chosen until after England return from the one-day tour to Sri Lanka in mid-October.

"You try to give everybody the best possible chance to show what they can do, especially with new players in so you can find out about them," he added.

"Sri Lanka is a tough place to go and play and it would be nice to think that by then we'll have everyone fit and we do have some selection problems and we've got a tough side to pick which would make it very competitive. That's just what you need - it's healthy for everybody to know that it's competitive."