'We were schoolboys' admits Swann

Graeme Swann has admitted that England fielded like "a bunch of schoolboys" during their unimpressive six-wicket victory over the Netherlands at Nagpur on Tuesday, but believes that the prospect of taking on the hosts, India, in front of a packed stadium in Bangalore on Sunday will bring out the best in the team.

Swann provided one of England's few redeeming features during that Netherlands innings, as he returned the impressive figures of 2 for 35 on his return to action following the birth of his son Wilfred earlier in the week. However, even he was not exempt from criticism, as he dropped a sitter at third man to reprieve Mudassar Bukhari in the closing overs, as the Dutch reached a hefty 292 for 6.

"We will need to raise our standards, particularly in the field because, let's face it, we were like a bunch of schoolboys," said Swann, who admitted to feeling the effects of the changed climate after his late arrival from the UK. "After 20 overs I looked up at the board desperate for it to be 45 overs gone, because I was absolutely cooked. That three-and-a-half hours felt like three-and-a-half months fielding.

"The change of climate and temperature really does hit you hard," he said. "I kept looking at the board praying the overs would tick over quicker than they did but, as everyone knows, when you want something to go quicker it never does."

England will hope that they've now got their worst performance out of their system, because with Virender Sehwag, Virat Kohli, Sachin Tendulkar and MS Dhoni lying in wait at the weekend, a similar lapse in standards will allow them no get-out. The team knows that all too well from their last ODI encounter in India, a 5-0 trouncing in November 2008 that was cut short by the Mumbai terrorist attacks.

"The fact it's against India in India is going to make it a huge game," said Swann. "We had a very poor time of things in the one-day series here a couple of years ago. That's certainly something we want to turn around, because there is nothing better than silencing an Indian crowd."

Sehwag is in prime form as demonstrated by his brilliant 175 in the opening fixture against Bangladesh in Dhaka, but Swann believed that England have the means to keep him quiet. "We've got our game plans and we know how we're going to bowl at him but I'm not going to tell the press and give him a heads-up.

"We've just got to get him out in the first couple of overs and there's no problem - same as anyone. Of course, we'll be underdogs to the Indian public - because they'll believe that their team can win every game. It's like a religion over here. The atmosphere you get, particularly when the home nation is playing, is something special that you remember."

With an extra few days to acclimatise before the India match, Swann expects to be fully ready for the challenge. However, that doesn't mean that his current mixed feelings will evaporate overnight, after the speed with which he was required to say hello and goodbye to his new son.

"It's gut-wrenching to leave," he said. "Within two days of the little fella coming into the world, I'm saying a teary goodbye. He doesn't know what's going on - but I do. But that's our lot as international cricketers.

"On the plus side I get to come here to play in a World Cup, so in 18 years' time when he is giving me grief for not being there for the first six weeks I'll be able to say, 'But I had to go and beat Holland.'"