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Vaughan not expecting miracles in India

Michael Vaughan has conceded that England are major underdogs ahead of their tour to India next month

Cricinfo staff
19-Jan-2006


Michael Vaughan: 'Miracles don't happen and we're still a very young side' © Getty Images
Michael Vaughan has conceded that England are major underdogs ahead of their tour to India next month. Vaughan, who is continuing his recovery from knee surgery, says the conditions will be a huge challenge for his young team.
"People have to be realistic," he said during an exclusive webchat with SunOnline. "Miracles don't happen and we're still a very young side. We beat Australia by playing great cricket on our home soil. You put us against anyone in the world in English conditions and I expect us to win.
"But going to Pakistan or India, with different conditions, and it's very tough for a team. Only Australia have won in India over the last decade. So even if Pakistan didn't go well and India doesn't go well, we will still be a good team going to Australia.
"So I'm hoping we can go to India and put up a good fight and maybe surprise them because they'll be big favourites."
England last won a Test series in India on 1984-85 tour, under the leadership of David Gower, and have subsequently lost 3-0 in 1992-93 and 1-0 when Nasser Hussain was captain in 2001-02.
However, Vaughan is confident that he will be part of the team that departs for India, on February 12, with his recovery progressing well. He missed the one-day series against Pakistan so that he could have his long-standing knee problem operated on, and still give him enough time to return to full fitness for India.
Although he has yet to test the knee in the middle - the only way to replicate the true strains it will endure during a match - Vaughan is pleased with how he is feeling. "The knee is good and it's gone quite well since the operation four weeks ago.
"I'm doing everything bar being on the cricket pitch twisting and turning. I'm doing a bit of running indoors and unless I have some real bad luck I expect to be on the plane in a few weeks' time.
"It was the cartilage that was the problem but I've had a bit of a tidy-up, a bit of a trim, and touch wood it seems to have done the trick."