Prior to the beginning of three-match home ODI series, England’s most talented batsman and Test captain Joe Root has admitted that India is one of the best ODI sides and they will face the toughest challenges during this short 50-overs series.

Talking about their opponents, Root said on Wednesday, “India have been a really strong team in this format for a long time. They won (ODI series) last time they came over here. I know it was a very different side they played against but it is a really good marker to see where we are.

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“We have played some really strong cricket in one day format and India are right up there as one of the best one day sides in the world. They present different challenges to the ones we have recently faced but we know that if we play to our potential, keep learning and improving we will be a difficult side to play especially at home.”

After struggling in the first two T20Is in the recently concluded three-match home T20I series against India, Root was dropped in the third T20I at Bristol. While he supported that decision, he was also happy on all-rounder Ben Stokes’ return, who replaced Root in the Bristol T20I.

Root said on that, “I fully understood the decision. It can’t have been an easy one for them to make but that is part and parcel of having a really strong squad. You have to take that. It is always difficult being left out and you never like that as a player. Having been captain myself I know how hard it can be. One thing is for sure is it is great to see Ben Stokes back to somewhere near fully fit. He is such a big asset to all three teams and with him firing hopefully throughout this series we will see some really strong performances from him and long term for England that is a really good thing.”

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Root further added that he has no fear to lose his place in the limited-overs team.

The 27-year-old said, “I don’t have any fears about it. I want to see us being as complete a side as possible in all three competitions, but I want to be a part of them. It’s difficult because of the limited opportunities I’ve had to play T20 cricket, but the thing that has always been at the forefront of my mind is that playing for England comes first.”

Talking about to miss the IPL 2018, Root said that the most important was he got enough rest to be ready to play for England.

Root said, “All the domestic tournaments around the world, they have to fit around playing for England. Whether that’s making sure I get enough rest, or obviously if there are international games throughout those tournaments, I’m going to have to miss out.

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“Until there’s a really good block for me to go and play T20 cricket somewhere in a domestic tournament, it’s going to be hard for me to get a string of games together and really put that case across.”

While both the teams are focusing for the 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup in England, which is just less than a year to go, Root believes this ODI series will give a big hint who are ready for that tournament on how much.

Root said, “Yes it does (present opportunities to grab spots) and ahead of a World Cup that’s what you want. You want guys outside pushing as hard as possible and making those difficult decisions. It can’t be easy but it shows where we have come to in the last three or four years in this format. It can’t be a bad thing.

While India will miss Jasprit Bumrah in the ODI series and Bhuvneshwar Kumar is doubtful, Root believes, India has enough bench strength in their pace bowling line-up.

Root concluded, “India are in a place where they have some great depth in that (bowling) department. You can see it in the IPL, a number of guys have done extremely well. Even if the frontline guys aren’t playing, we still have to play well. They will pose different challenges to us as a seam attack.”