Describing the India 'A' team which will tour England as "well-balanced", captain Shiv Sundar Das said his young side will strive to win at least 70 per cent of the matches on the trip.
"I am leading a well-balanced side and several players have played for the country at the senior level either in Tests or one-dayers. I will be happy if we can win 70 per cent of the matches there," Das said on Saturday.
Saying the team is upbeat about the tour and confident of performing to everyone's expectations, he added: "I am confident of the team performing well during the tour although the conditions there are quite different."
Having opened for India in 23 Tests, he was hopeful of doing well personally and setting an example for his teammates.
"I have returned from England recently, where I was playing for Newton Le Willows, a Lancashire team, and I hope it will not be much difficult for me to adapt to the conditions," he said.
The diminutive India opener, who left Bhubneshwar for Mumbai on Saturday afternoon en route to England for the 45-day tour, beginning tomorrow, picked the three-day match against South Africa, at Arundel from July 19 to 21, as the biggest challenge of the tour.
Das, who had captained the India under-17 team on its tour of England in 1996-97 when the team won the matches it played against England and Scotland, said he is honoured by the responsibility bestowed on him once again.
"I consider it [being chosen to lead India 'A'] as a big honour," he said.
He had also led the Elite 'C' team to victory in the Duleep Trophy tournament recently.
Das, whose debut in Tests was against Bangladesh in November 2000, played 23 Tests as a specialist opener, scoring 1326 runs at an average of 34.89 with two centuries and nine fifties. Although he was in the team during the tour to England and New Zealand last season, he did not get a chance to break into the playing eleven.
Referring to his matches at Liverpool, for Newton Le Willows, Das said he played only four games for the team and had a top score of 85 in the last tie before having to rush back to Bangalore to join the 18-day camp for the India 'A' team.
In fact, he was in England when he came to know about his selection as captain of the squad.
Asked about the camp, Das said the thrust had been on physical fitness and fielding, particularly catch practice with each player made to take about 50 to 60 catches every day. Much stress was also laid on practice on green turfs, he added.
He said India coach John Wright also provided him several tips during the Bangalore camp and praised coach Sandeep Patil for the special interest he took in the players.
Talking about the game in his home state, Orissa, which performed badly last season in the Ranji Trophy and slid down to the Plate Group, Das said he is hopeful of the team regrouping in the coming season.
