Chester-le-Street, Sep 2 : Battered and bruised in what has turned out to be an abysmal tour, a demoralised India go into the five-match ODI cricket series against England here tomorrow with repeated batting collapses and toothless bowling continuing to haunt them.
Coming into the series as world's numero uno Test team and ODI world champions, India have had a nightmarish English summer so far with the visitors tasting victory only in the three practice matches ahead of the limited overs rubber.
After the 0-4 pounding in the Test series, India lost the lone Twenty20 game against England by six wickets at Manchester on Wednesday and things dont look too bright ahead of the ODI series.
And looking at England's ruthless form and India's misery, it would prove to be a Herculean task for Mahendra Singh Dhoni and his men to get the better of the motivated home team.
England are presently world's number one Test side, which they achieved by virtue of a 4-0 clean sweep over India, and reigning Twenty20 world champions and it is only logical to believe that they would now aim for the pole position in ODI charts as well.
A 5-0 sweep in the ODI series would take England to the number three spot in the ICC rankings behind Australia and Sri Lanka and downgrade India, presently number three, to fifth position.
Besides, the upcoming series would also give England an opportunity to avenge their 1-5 and 0-5 drubbing at the hands of India on two previous visits to the sub-continent.
Besides, it would put Alastair Cook's men in right frame of mind for the return visit to India next month for five more ODIs. PTI
