Strauss to build on Cook momentum

Andrew Strauss is intent on continuing the "fantastic job" done in his absence by his ODI successor Alastair Cook.

Strauss will return to lead England against the world's number one Test team India on his home ground at Lord's next week, in the first of four matches in the forthcoming npower series.

He has spent the past two weeks as an interested spectator, having handed over the ODI captaincy to Cook following this year's World Cup and seen the latter add NatWest Series victory over Sri Lanka to Strauss' own Test success against those same opponents this summer.

India represent the prospect of even sterner opposition in both formats, but Strauss believes improving England will be up to the challenge.

"I thought they did a fantastic job," he said of England's limited-overs specialists, who completed a 3-2 series victory over the World Cup finalists at Old Trafford last weekend.

"Alastair Cook in particular was outstanding.

"To beat a good quality one-day outfit like Sri Lanka was a fantastic effort."

Strauss has arranged to switch counties this week so that he can play for Somerset against India in the tourists' only warm-up match before the first Test.

He is looking forward to that fixture, and making some runs in preparation for the still more important business which will follow.

"We've got some good momentum in this summer so far, two series wins," he told Sky Sports News, at an event organised by England team sponsors Jaguar.

"The next two series are probably going to be a step up from that, in lots of ways, and a bigger challenge - but one we're more than prepared to take on."

As for his trip to Taunton to face India in a three-day match, he said: "I see that I've got nothing to lose.

"I'd either be sitting around not playing any cricket or I've got a chance of getting a couple of innings and having a look at the Indian bowlers and spending time in the middle before this Test series."

Strauss' England and Middlesex team-mates Eoin Morgan and Steven Finn are also itching to take on India on their home ground next week.

Morgan's recent good form means he is assured of his place at number six at Lord's, but Finn may find others ahead of him in a four-man bowling attack.

The 6ft 8in seamer will discover when the squad is announced this weekend whether he has an initial role to play or may have to wait until later in the four-match series.

Morgan knows what to expect from India, who arrived in England this morning following their 1-0 series victory in the West Indies.

"It will be huge - especially where they're at in the world at the moment, a fantastic side," the Irishman said of England's opponents, including master batsman Sachin Tendulkar in a superstar squad.

Even so, Morgan believes England - currently ranked third in the International Cricket Council Test table - have the potential to push the stellar tourists hard.

"The momentum we've had over the last 12 to 18 months has been really good, and I think we have something special going within the side," he said.

"It's part of our ethos of testing ourselves, and this series coming up will certainly do that."

Strauss' Ashes winners have long had their eye on that number one position, and Finn added: "We want to be top, and India are there.

"So this is a great opportunity for us across four Test matches to go out and show we can beat the best in the world.

"We have shown we've put in results and performances against every team so far.

"We're going to put them through their paces, in our conditions. That's something we can use to our advantage."