We’ll have play out of skin to beat India, says Cook

Despite a dominant Test series victory over India a few weeks ago, England skipper Alastair Cook is wary of the hosts, saying the players of his ‘underdog’ side will have to play out of their skins to repeat success in the One-day series, beginning on Friday.

‘Clearly we are the underdogs in this series but if you look through our side we have got a lot of firepower and world class players. For us to win this series, those world class players and everyone in our squad have to play out of skin,’ said Cook ahead of the series-opener at the newly built Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Kandheri. The England skipper, who had led his team to a Test series triumph in India after 28 years at the end of 2012, said the team was lacking a bit in experience due to injuries to key members.

‘We have got an inexperienced side, a few experienced players missing through injuries and rotational policy. It's quite similar to probably the squad that we had last time. So, it will be a real big test to us as players and real good test to these guys who have been around now a bit in international scene to try and step up.’