Barely a fortnight after returning from a gruelling tour of the Caribbean, the Indian side left Mumbai for their equally arduous three-month trek around England. India will play four Tests and a triangular one-day series during their stay. So poor is India's away record in recent years that even their most optimistic supporters must have doubts as to the outcome of the series.

Under Sourav Ganguly they have scraped a draw in Zimbabwe and lost in Sri Lanka, South Africa and the West Indies. India's last series win outside the subcontinent came 16 years ago, when Kapil Dev led them to a 2-0 win in England.

Ganguly admitted that India's problems were more in the mind than any weaknesses in their side. "We've the ability to win an away Test series, but I don't think we've the mindset. That's the main reason we've never done well abroad.

"It's going to be a tough tour. England enjoy home advantage and our task is cut out," Ganguly added. The absence of Javagal Srinath, India's main strike bowler who announced his retirement from Test cricket in May, will further hamper their hopes of success.

Srinath's absence means that the new ball will be shared by left-arm seamers Zaheer Khan and Ashish Nehra, who have played 24 Tests between them. "We've an inexperienced pace attack. Of all the quicks, only Ajit Agarkar has the experience of playing in England," said Ganguly. Agarkar might have experience of English conditions, but he is hardly a seasoned pro - he has played only 11 Tests and Tinu Yohannan, the fourth seamer, has played just two.

"England have a more experienced new-ball attack and there's the challenge for us to do well in both Tests and one-dayers," observed Rahul Dravid, the vice-captain.

India also have long-standing questions over who should open the batting. They tried three different pairs in the Caribbean, but failed to find the right combination. Shiv Sunder Das was out of form, scoring only 124 runs in eight Test innings, while Sanjay Bangar made 9 and 16 in his only match. Wasim Jaffer did manage two half-centuries in three Tests, but is yet to establish himself.

India have included two promising but inexperienced wicketkeepers in Ajay Ratra, 20, and newcomer Parthiv Patel, 17. In the West Indies recently Ratra became the youngest wicketkeeper to score a Test century, while Patel has earned national selection before he has played for his state. India might also turn to Dravid, who kept wicket in the one-day series in the Caribbean. "I think I'm improving with every match in my new role as a wicketkeeper in one-dayers," he said. "I'm enjoying my new job."

India will look to their famed middle order - Sachin Tendulkar, Ganguly, Dravid and VVS Laxman - to spare their blushes in Tests. They will have to overcome a mental barrier to win the NatWest Series, for Sri Lanka are no pushovers. Moreover, India have earned the dubious reputation of choking under big-match pressure, after losing nine finals in one-day tournaments involving three or more teams since April 1999.

Test squad
Sourav Ganguly (capt), Rahul Dravid, SS Das, Wasim Jaffer, Sachin Tendulkar, VVS Laxman, Virender Sehwag, Harbhajan Singh, Anil Kumble, Zaheer Khan, Ashish Nehra, Ajit Agarkar, Tinu Yohannan, Ajay Ratra (wk), Sanjay Bangar, Parthiv Patel (wk).

One-day Squad
Sourav Ganguly (capt), Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, Virender Sehwag, VVS Laxman, Dinesh Mongia, Yuvraj Singh, Mohammad Kaif, Ajay Ratra (wk), Anil Kumble, Harbhajan Singh, Zaheer Khan, Ashish Nehra, Ajit Agarkar, Tinu Yohannan.

© Wisden CricInfo Ltd