Skipper Mithali hoping for positive cricket in England

"English conditions are challenging. Playing some practice matches with boys in Mysore has improved our confidence. I won't say that we will win, but we hope to play some positive cricket. With the Twenty20 World Cup in the sub-continent, this tour will help us prepare better for the tournament," said the 29-year-old during a media conference at the Bandra Kurla Complex yesterday ahead of their departure.u00a0

Women team skipper Mithali Raj at BKC yesterday. Pic/Atul Kamble

The 15-member Indian team is scheduled to play two Twenty20 and five ODI's against England from June 26 to July 11.

After a dismal series against West Indies in the Caribbean and Australia at home, Raj is eager to change their fortunes against England. "It is time that we prove our worth. We have had two back-to-back losses. But now, we need to look ahead. We have a good mix of young and experienced players and I am confident that we can do well," added Raj. The skipper, however, refrained from commenting on omission of former captain Anjum Chopra from the England tour. "Experienced players come handy in any tour. I was not involved in the selection process. So, I can't say why she was dropped," she said.

The team: Mithali Raj (captain), Harman Preet Kaur (vice-captain), Sulakshana Naik, Suneeta Anand, Jhulan Goswami, Ameeta Sharma, Poonam Raut, Reema Malhotra, S Subalaxmi, Veda Krishnamurthy, Gauhar Sultana, Ekta Bisht, Archana Das, N Niranjana, Mona Meshramu00a0