Graeme Swann urges England to focus on 4-0 series victory

Spinner Graeme Swann has urged England not to get carried away by their impending elevation to the top of the world rankings and focus on completing a 4-0 whitewash of India at The Oval this week.

England will be confirmed as the best Test side in the world when the series concludes but Swann believes it is important to concentrate on rounding off a wonderful summer with another victory against the demoralised tourists.

He said: "It's a nice feeling (being a part of the top-ranked side], but it's not what we are focusing on. We said before the series it didn't matter if we got to No? 1 in the world. It's about finishing the series well and that is what we are aiming to do at The Oval.

"We want to do ourselves justice in the last game - we did that very well in the Ashes. Having retained them, we gave our best performance of the series in Sydney in the last game and we are looking to emulate that here.

"It's the last Test match for a while and it's a good chance for us to sign off on a winning note.

"We have played some exceptional cricket in the past 18-24 months and it would be a shame if we ruined it all by cruising through this game, so let's make it a really good five days and see what happens.

"(Coach] Andy Flower and (captain] Andrew Strauss won't be allowing us to rest on our laurels and just glide through this game. They will be keener than ever for us to give 100 per cent.

"It wouldn't be much of a team if we just fell to pieces and threw it all away. It's just the first rung on the ladder in clichterms."

India have been comprehensively outplayed in the three matches so far, but Swann warned against underestimating them in the final Test before a one-off Twenty20 encounter and five one-day internationals.

Swann added: "The best thing we have done all series is keep India below 300 each time we have bowled and we need to try and keep that up.

"The Oval is a good batting pitch, but if we can maintain the standards we have so far achieved then hopefully we can do that again."

India's struggles have led to suggestions there is a lack of unity in the dressing room. Swann, however, was steering clear of offering an opinion on England's opponents.

"It's not for me to say what the spirit is like in the Indian team," he said.

"Cricket is one of those games when, if one team is on top, the other can look as though it is being dragged through the mill so it would be very dangerous to assume this Indian team is anything other than a world-class outfit and we will have to play exceptionally well to match them."