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Finn optimistic on a series win
The Middlesex paceman, Steven Finn was certain that England have the X-factor required to end their 27-year wait for a Test series victory in India.
Steven Finn flew out to England's Dubai training camp this morning uncertain whether he will be involved in the first Test against India in Ahmedabad next month.
England beat India in a Test series at home last year but then suffered the backlash when they travelled to the sub-continent and were trounced 5-0 in a one-day series.
"People are writing us off already but write us off at your peril. We like rearing our backs up in the face of adversity," Finn warned.
"I don't think an England team have won out there for 27 years so we're looking to do a similar thing to what we did in Australia in 2010-11, by breaking those sort of records.
"What I see in this team is an exuberance and a steely determination to win this series.
"We have the pain from the one-day series we lost there last year and we have the good experience of beating them in 2011.
"I think a combination of the two should spur us on to win this series. I think we have the players and the mindset to do that.
"You need a little bit of the X Factor, which we have.
"We've got the best swing bowler in the world in James Anderson and we've got one of the best all-rounders in the world in Stuart Broad and we've got Tim Bresnan.
"We've also got others who bring different skills to the party. It is going to take all of our collective skill to beat India and I think we can do it."
Finn, though, has to prepare himself for long stints watching from the boundary because he is likely to be squeezed out of the team if England opt to play two spinners.
It is a frustrating position Finn has grown used to, although it is one he remains determined to change.
The 23-year-old has played 16 Test matches for England but 11 of them came in 2010, following his debut on the tour of Bangladesh.
Finn was the leading wicket taker after the first three Tests of the 2010-11 Ashes series but lost his place and he has only played five times since.
"I've been on the end of that chop quite a few times over the last two years and it is just one of those things," Finn said.
"You desperately want to be out there and you don't hold any grudges when you're fighting for a few spots.
"It is just the way team sport works and you have to accept that you're not always going to play.
"If you're the person to miss out then it is how you deal with that which makes you a better cricketer.
"I am really excited about getting there and fighting my way into the Test side and becoming an important member of that team "I don't think I'm in that place yet (where I am putting pressure on Broad and Anderson) and I'd love to be.
"I still see myself as being way behind them in the pecking order.
"They are the new-ball pairing and they've done exceptionally well. I look up to them, I can relate to experiences that they've had in their careers and I can learn off them.
"If one day I was as good as either of them I'd be very happy."
England's preparations for the tour of India were given a boost tonight after Kevin Pietersen's Delhi Daredevils were eliminated from the Champions League at the semi-final stage.
Pietersen was recalled into the squad last week and will this weekend join up with his team-mates for the first time since he was exiled following his texting controversies over the summer.
Following the Daredevils' 22-run loss to the Lions, Pietersen wrote on his Twitter page: "Apologies to all the @DelhiDaredevils fans! We should have done better today! On a more positive note- I'll be in India Sunday.. Can't wait!"
"People are writing us off already but write us off at your peril. We like rearing our backs up in the face of adversity," Finn warned.
"I don't think an England team have won out there for 27 years so we're looking to do a similar thing to what we did in Australia in 2010-11, by breaking those sort of records.
"What I see in this team is an exuberance and a steely determination to win this series.
"We have the pain from the one-day series we lost there last year and we have the good experience of beating them in 2011.
"I think a combination of the two should spur us on to win this series. I think we have the players and the mindset to do that.
"You need a little bit of the X Factor, which we have.
"We've got the best swing bowler in the world in James Anderson and we've got one of the best all-rounders in the world in Stuart Broad and we've got Tim Bresnan.
"We've also got others who bring different skills to the party. It is going to take all of our collective skill to beat India and I think we can do it."
Finn, though, has to prepare himself for long stints watching from the boundary because he is likely to be squeezed out of the team if England opt to play two spinners.
It is a frustrating position Finn has grown used to, although it is one he remains determined to change.
The 23-year-old has played 16 Test matches for England but 11 of them came in 2010, following his debut on the tour of Bangladesh.
Finn was the leading wicket taker after the first three Tests of the 2010-11 Ashes series but lost his place and he has only played five times since.
"I've been on the end of that chop quite a few times over the last two years and it is just one of those things," Finn said.
"You desperately want to be out there and you don't hold any grudges when you're fighting for a few spots.
"It is just the way team sport works and you have to accept that you're not always going to play.
"If you're the person to miss out then it is how you deal with that which makes you a better cricketer.
"I am really excited about getting there and fighting my way into the Test side and becoming an important member of that team "I don't think I'm in that place yet (where I am putting pressure on Broad and Anderson) and I'd love to be.
"I still see myself as being way behind them in the pecking order.
"They are the new-ball pairing and they've done exceptionally well. I look up to them, I can relate to experiences that they've had in their careers and I can learn off them.
"If one day I was as good as either of them I'd be very happy."
England's preparations for the tour of India were given a boost tonight after Kevin Pietersen's Delhi Daredevils were eliminated from the Champions League at the semi-final stage.
Pietersen was recalled into the squad last week and will this weekend join up with his team-mates for the first time since he was exiled following his texting controversies over the summer.
Following the Daredevils' 22-run loss to the Lions, Pietersen wrote on his Twitter page: "Apologies to all the @DelhiDaredevils fans! We should have done better today! On a more positive note- I'll be in India Sunday.. Can't wait!"
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