LUKE Wright is hoping the fanaticism of Indian cricket supporters can revitalise England spirits following the disappointment of the Stanford experience and a gruelling journey to Mumbai.

The Sussex all-rounder was a member of the side which suffered a humiliating defeat to the Stanford Superstars in Saturday's $20m match.

And as soon as they had licked their wounds following the 10-wicket defeat in Antigua, England - including Lancashire duo Andrew Flintoff and Jimmy Anderson - embarked on a 48-hour journey from the West Indies to India to begin their preparations for a seven-match one-day international series.

Starting in Antigua, the team flew to Barbados where they waited five hours before flying to Gatwick and being transported by coach to a hotel near Heathrow.

After another day waiting they flew to Mumbai via Dubai, arriving at their hotel nearly two days after they first set off - hardly the ideal preparation with the first of two warm-up matches due to start on Sunday.

“It's been a long trip and there are a few tired lads around but I think everyone is pretty excited to be here as well,” Wright said.

“We'll get a good sleep tonight and then we've got training tomorrow afternoon so we've got the morning to get ourselves right and then we're right into it.

“The hardest part of the journey was the last couple of hours when we were in Dubai and we all just wanted to get here.”

It was a gruelling experience for the 28-man party, but their greeting on arrival at Mumbai airport - where they were met with the usual plethora of television cameras and interested fans - reminded everyone in the squad of the massive interest in the tour.

Despite India currently playing Australia in the final Test in Nagpur, it did not distract from the huge interest and expectations for the coming series.

“Talking to the lads everyone was keen to come out here, especially after the second half to the summer we had,” added Wright.

“It's a good chance to come out here and test ourselves somewhere where it's really hard to play.

“When we arrived at the airport today there were plenty of cameras and plenty of people out to see us so it just shows how exciting it is to come out here and play.

“It's the first time I've been here with England and every time you see cricket out here you see the big crowds. It's one of those places where you're desperate to come and try and achieve; if you do that you tick one of the big boxes of cricket's hardest challenges.

“My first ambition was to play against anyone for England in England and then you start thinking about trying to play in an Ashes series and in India.”

Prior to their Antigua venture, England's confidence was sky high following their emphatic 4-0 home series triumph over South Africa.

But memories of their 4-0 hammering in India just two years ago are still fresh and although the personnel may have changed since then - only seven members of the current squad were on that tour - the challenge remains equally difficult.

“People have mentioned what a hard tour that was but they've also said what a different place we're in as a team this time compared to last time,” added Wright.

“Towards the back end of the summer everyone got a lot more confident.

“You've got to play different cricket at times out here and they're obviously more of a confident unit here than they are away.

“But you can use reverse swing and you have to use the new ball because it can become hard work in the middle overs against the spinners.”

England have confirmed they are monitoring developments in Guwahati, the venue for the sixth match in the series on November 29, after car bombs killed more than 70 people last week.

The tourists are in touch with the BCCI, India's governing body, with suggestions being made about switching the match to Kolkata instead.
Tweet