Giles ready to get going

Ashley Giles is wary of the 'huge challenge' awaiting England against India
10 January 2013

Ashley Giles does not expect a honeymoon period in his new role as England's one-day coach and admits his side are up against it in India.

Giles has taken over England's 50- and 20-over sides in a move designed to ease the burden on team director Andy Flower, who will focus on the Test squad, and takes charge of his first one-day international in Rajkot on Friday.

"Let's not beat around the bush, it is a huge challenge but one the guys should be looking forward to," said Giles. "There will be good and bad times and honeymoon periods don't necessarily last too long."

It is a tough assignment for the 39-year-old, who earned his coaching spurs by taking Warwickshire to last season's LV= County Championship. On their last two tours of India, England have lost 5-0 and have only won a series in the country once - in 1984/85.

Giles' own record in India is actually a positive one, with two wins from three matches, but he is under no illusions about the challenge of reversing that trend, especially after losing both warm-up matches in Delhi.

He said: "We've only won one in 18 here so percentages would say we're up against it, but we're here to win games of cricket. We're here to develop and find out more about these guys and if at the end of it we lose the series and each player has moved on 5% through the experience then we're doing our jobs."

Giles' task is made all the harder by the list of absentees for this month. Three of England's most experienced one-day players - Jonathan Trott, James Anderson and Graeme Swann - are all rested, Stuart Broad's heel injury has ruled him out of the first three matches and Jonny Bairstow is at home on compassionate leave.

Giles is not concerned about his side's relative inexperience, though, instead viewing it as a learning period for all concerned.

"My job is to take this team forward and that might take time," he said. "We are going to look at different players. There are big tournaments coming up where we would hope to have our 'A team' all the time, but in between we need to look at some of the younger guys because they are our future.

"We have to look after our cricketers, particularly with the amount of cricket we have coming up. In the next 12-18 months it is imperative we look after our best players, both physically and mentally."

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