'Flintoff's absence evens up series'

You begin the Test series against England without too many expectations but isn't that strange considering India's improvement in Tests over the last two years?

Taking a young side to England, Rahul Dravid knows that India will start the tour as underdogs and that, he feels, will suit them fine © AFP

I think if you look at our performances over the last 15-16 months we've had some good results in Test cricket. We had some good results in one-day cricket earlier but we've struggled of late. But that's India, that's what being an Indian player is - one month you can be a very good team and two Tests later, or two one-day series later, you can be useless. Opinions swing to the extreme. As players you need to see the balance. We know there are things we can do better but that's never changed.

The challenges are to get used to the conditions - we're going to have the advantage of batsmen who are experienced in those conditions. Our bowling attack is young - injuries and lack of form have not helped in the bowling department - but there is some potential there and there are no better conditions to prove yourself than those that might suit swing and seam. I'm quite hopeful and positive.

Sreesanth's had a great tour of South Africa. If he can bowl with the seam as straight as he did then, I'm sure he'll be successful. He's get more swing in England than he got in South Africa. We do have the seam and swing bowlers who tend to do well in England. We don't have experience but that's the reality of it - we've had a few injuries, we've had players losing form. I'm hopeful the young guys learn from this tour. It's critical for us that everyone stays fit and, if so, I think we'll be able to put a useful Test attack come the first Test.

Wasim [Jaffer] and [Dinesh] Karthik seemed to have struck up a decent combination. They opened first at Cape Town, which is where we judge them from. Bangladesh is obviously the easier tour. Wasim is the more accomplished partner, he's shown he can play the big knocks and it's a question of him being consistent. He needs to build on some of the starts he gets and has to see himself as an established batsman in this line-up, a senior sort of player who's played quite a few Tests.

Dinesh is quite exciting simply because of his attitude, his desire and hunger to learn. His basic technique is good and his courage cannot be faulted. I think he deserves a chance to make a name for himself - instead of being pigeon-holed as a wicketkeeper, I think he's excited about being picked in the XI as an opener and wants to make the most of it. MS Dhoni's taken the No.1 keeping slot away from him and he sees this as a great opportunity to contribute. He's done nothing wrong so far.

In the long run, five bowlers is the way to go. But to successfully implement the five-bowler strategy we need a good wicketkeeper-batsman and a fast-bowling allrounder because we're generally going to have a couple of good spinners

They played well in Bombay [in the third Test]. The track turned quite a bit and we got caught on a fourth-innings pitch which shouldn't have happened. But they played well, no doubt about it. Andrew Flintoff led really well. His performances with the bat and ball in the series were brilliant. At home they're a very dangerous side - they haven't lost for a while - so it shows they have the cricketers who are comfortable at home. Obviously they enjoy playing more at home.

Andrew Flintoff's not going to be around for at least the initial part of the series and that's something I feel will impact them in some way. It makes things a bit more equal as far as I see it. If they have Flintoff, I think they can afford to play five bowlers, whereas we've had the problem of not having the allrounder and being forced to play four bowlers. Without Flintoff I think they'll have to go in with four bowlers and so will we.

I've watched a lot of them on TV. Cook's been in terrific form, he's an exciting young prospect. So has Ian Bell, in the opportunities he's got lower down the order. He seems to have improved a lot since the last time we saw him in India. Pietersen's one of the top batsmen in the world now, without a doubt. Monty's come along well, Sidebottom has had a good series, Prior's doing well, Vaughan is back and seems to be doing well. They've got some good players but so have we. It's going to be interesting.

Ever since you've taken over the captaincy there's been a debate about whether India should play four specialist bowlers or five. You played five in Bangladesh. What now?

Without Flintoff England will have to go with four bowlers and so will India © Getty Images

In the long run, five bowlers is the way to go. I truly do believe that. But to successfully implement the five-bowler strategy we need to have a good wicketkeeper-batsman - which we do in Dhoni - and an allrounder, preferably a fast-bowling allrounder from India's perspective, because we're generally going to have a couple of good spinners. Irfan [Pathan] was the person who could do that role but he's unfortunately fallen away and has not been able to maintain his place in the side. Fast-bowling allrounders like Kapil Dev are gold and we've been unlucky we haven't had anyone in this generation.

England will face a similar problem, I don't think it's easy for them to replace Flintoff. Australia are the only team who have successfully been able to play four bowlers and all those guys - McGrath, Lee, Gillespie and Warne - averaged in the early 20s. Now, even they are contemplating using five bowlers. With McGrath and Warne not around, they've probably realised they need five bowlers and they're looking at Watson or Andrew Symonds to fill the role.