Bopara eager to cement place

Ravi Bopara, who replaced the injured Eoin Morgan in the England squad and is fighting with Michael Yardy for a place in the playing XI, has said that he is not thinking about his competition and is ready to seize his opportunity.

"It is a big opportunity to get back into the side," Bopara said ahead of the game against India in Bangalore. "I have got two opportunities so far, one in the warm-up game and then in the opening match. I haven't thought about that competition [with Yardy]. I am just trying to do my best in every practice session. If you are doing well in the nets, batting well and bowling well, I have got a good chance of making the side."

Bopara said his IPL experience will stand him in good stead and also spoke about his Ashes debacle in 2009 that cost him his place in the team. "I know what the pitch is likely to do in the subcontinent. IPL has definitely made me a better player and more confident." It was after the 2009 IPL that he scored the last two of his three successive hundreds against West Indies, but everything went pear shaped for him in the Ashes series that followed. Bopara put his Ashes debacle down to anxiety.

"I played that Ashes after scoring three successive 100s and I expected too much from myself and it didn't work out. I have done a lot of work since Ashes not only on Test cricket but ODIs as well. Playing in different countries makes a massive difference - South African conditions, New Zealand and obviously India. I have not put too much pressure on myself now."

England struggled in their opening game of the World Cup against the Netherlands before squeaking home at the end, Bopara, who made an unbeaten 30 in that game, said England weren't their "usual self" but can still draw positives from chasing down a big total. "293 is a big score against any side, especially in India where the wickets get slower and lower. It is harder to bat. We batted brilliantly, especially our top [order]." Bopara said his aim was to remain unbeaten and guide England through to the target. "We always knew we were going to win the game but I had to ensure that I was there till the end to finish it off. It does help the confidence. The warm-up against Pakistan also helped. Match practice is the best thing you can get."

He was also realistic enough to recognise that his breezy 30 was not enough to move him up the order. "Obviously I love to bat high up in the team. My ambition is to get higher and higher. At the moment, we are playing well at the top order and it is hard to get in there. To win the World Cup we need the guys at the top to fire."

England play India in Bangalore next and the talk has centred on the number of spinners the hosts might play. Bopara said England won't fuss about it. "If it is a spinning deck we have got our own spinners who can cause problems. A pitch that spins is going to cause trouble for any team. It is going to cause problems for India as well. And if the conditions don't suit spin we don't have to worry about it. We know in places like Bangalore, there can be high totals 270-300.

"It is a good wicket to bat on especially against the seamers. It slides on to the bat quite nicely. Last time I played in Bangalore it did not spin. It's going to be a good game."