Wins over Sri Lanka boost England ahead of India test

England can move on to this summer's sternest tests against world-beating India with collective confidence and reputation enhanced after victories over Sri Lanka in two of three formats.

Most notable among the winners, having followed a 1-0 Test success with a 3-2 one-day international verdict, is clearly new 50-over captain Alastair Cook.

Coach Andy Flower ditched his natural understatement to voice effusive praise for Cook, who began his tenure under intense scrutiny from many high-profile and vociferous doubters of his ability to adapt his world-class Test match batting to the demands of ODI cricket.

Yet by the time England had closed out the series at Old Trafford with a 16-run victory in Saturday's decider, Cook could point to 298 runs at an average of 74.50 and a strike rate of 96.75. Those figures leave his erstwhile critics with no wriggle room.

Cook is one of several of the ODI winners who need to make the same occupational transition, including Graeme Swann, Kevin Pietersen and Ian Bell.

It is Stuart Broad, though, who has most to prove. Dropped for the final match to accommodate Samit Patel's spin in favourable conditions, England's Twenty20 captain got the chop rather than newcomer Jade Dernbach - having taken only two wickets in the four previous fixtures.

Flower nonetheless made it clear Broad remains central to England's plans against India.

"Broad has been a superb performer for us, a great competitor - and I foresee him doing great things in the future, both in this upcoming Test series and the one-day series," said the coach.

Flower also predicts England futures for Dernbach and Chris Woakes - who, like fellow seamer Steven Finn, was in the ODI squad but did not play against Sri Lanka.

l England off-spinner Graeme Swann has been elevated to the top of the ICC one-day international bowling rankings after his series figures of eight for 164 against Sri Lanka. England's 3-2 series win means Sri Lanka drop from third to fourth, behind in South Africa, in the ICC ODI Championship while England remain in fifth.