Raj respects England improvement

MIthali Raj is looking forward to the challenge of facing an in-form team © Getty Images

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India captain Mithali Raj admits she has been surprised at England’s recent successful form as her side prepare for the five-match one-day international series which begins tomorrow.

Although England won the last game the sides played in Chennai in 2007, they struggled to compete in the rest of the matches in the quadrangular series, but since that time have recorded excellent wins over Australia, New Zealand and South Africa.

Raj believes that her opposition’s upturn in form has been down to excellent support from the ECB for England’s leading players.

“Their results have definitely surprised us after the quadrangular series, having lost to them in the third/fourth play off and having won the pool matches against them,” said Raj.

“The team hasn’t changed that much, but they seem to have had a change in management and have had a good amount of match practice.”

Having won the Asia Cup in May, after a comprehensive victory over Sri Lanka in the final, Raj admits her side is full of confidence and doesn’t fear any of England’s key players.

“The climate conditions and wickets are going to be very different. It’s definitely going to be a challenge, especially as England are in-form, but we are very optimistic and confident about our success,” she said.

“We’re not targeting any specific England players – as a team they seem to have done very well recently.

“We will be looking to get out the top order early on and get the batters out who have been getting lots of runs recently and put some pressure on the other players.”

The series will form an important part of both side’s build up to the ICC women’s World Cup, with England and India set to face each other in the pool stages of the competition.

Although Raj doesn’t believe that the outcome of this series will have any effect on the outcome of that game, she is still hopeful of recording a morale-boosting win.

“The World Cup is being held in Australia – it will be a different ball game with very different wickets. However, it always gives you a confidence boost if you win on foreign soil and beat England at home.”