England intend to use the euphoria of their Test success in India as a cure for their one-day travel sickness.
The 212-run win in Mumbai, which levelled the series, is still fresh in the memory for the majority of those left on the nine-week tour.
It extended England's impressive run of results under coach Duncan Fletcher, both home and away spanning six years.
However, the Test record contrasts sharply to limitedovers form in general and overseas series in particular: England have not won any of their ten away campaigns against any of the world's top eight sides under Fletcher.
Yet it is far from a recent malaise, with the last such triumph abroad back in the winter of 1991-92 in New Zealand.
"We haven't performed as consistently in one-day cricket, especially away from home, so the challenge for us is to build on the momentum we gained in that Test series," said Andrew Strauss, ahead of tomorrow's opening match at the Feroz Shah Kotla. "We need to use the youthful input we have got from some new players and go on and perform well.
"India are a very good oneday side, so it will be a good gauge for us."
Officially, England are ranked sixth in the world but the current glut of injury and unavailability means that with less than 12 months to go to cricket's carnival in the Caribbean, they are no better prepared than they have been prior to previous tournaments.
Even if everyone was fit, exactly who would make the first-choice XI is a matter for debate.
"With the World Cup around the corner, it is very important we use these series to gain more consistency," said Strauss. "The problem in the past is that we can beat any side on our day, but we have not done it consistently.
"This provides an opportunity for others to stake their claim. It is good to have options and hard decisions for selectors; that means there is strength in depth."
England won by the narrow margin of two runs last time they were in Delhi four years ago, as they came back from 3-1 down to draw 3-3.
Strauss is something of a one-day veteran in the current party, despite only making his international bow two winters ago. He will bat in one of the top three positions.
With Michael Vaughan and Marcus Trescothick back in the United Kingdom, the other two places will be filled by any combination of Warwickshire's Ian Bell, Worcestershire's Vikram Solanki, Matt Prior and Owais Shah.
"I am beginning to feel a bit haggard, I am one of the oldest guys in this squad now, which seems strange," said the 29-year-old Strauss. "But it is great there is so much young talent there, guys have come in and done well rather than just look good in county cricket and struggle to make the adjustment."
India, meanwhile, hope Virender Sehwag's back injury, which hampered him during the third Test thrashing, has eased sufficiently.
The hosts are already without Sachin Tendulkar, who has flown to London for surgery on his shoulder.
"Although they are missing a couple of players, the practice match showed they have a lot of depth in their batting," said Strauss, referring to Saturday's's five-run loss to a Rajasthan President's XI.
In that game, Bell's half-century was not quite enough to carry England to victory, but it may have sealed him a spot against India in the first oneday international.
Bell struck 71 before perishing at the death as the tourists narrowly lost.
England - led by Solanki in the state of his birth - stuttered a couple of times in their pursuit of 261 but ultimately choked after getting into a winning position.
Four run-outs and as many catches in the deep - including Bell's departure in the 47th over - did for England despite Worcestershie allrounder Kabir Ali's late assault, twice clearing the ropes, narrowing the equation to six from two balls.
"The run-outs counted against us and there were a few soft dismissals along the way," said Bell. "Generally, we controlled the game until the run-outs came into it."
Twenty-three-year-old Bell is yet to establish himself in the limited-overs side but may get the chance to add to his ten caps here.
He manoeuvred the ball into gaps expertly during a stand with Paul Collingwood which stabilised the innings after Kevin Pietersen and Prior - who struck 55 at the
top of the order - fell in consecutive overs to leave England 97 for four.
The fifth-wicket pair also showed their nous to up the ante in the second optional power play, both hitting straight sixes during a period in which the required run rate came down below six an over.
"The spots I bat in for Warwickshire, numbers three or four, seem to be taken at the moment in the one-day side, so I have got to keep working hard to get a spot if the opportunity comes around," said Bell.
"If the opportunity arose, I would love to bat six but I see myself as a three or four - not a Kevin Pietersen or Andrew Flintoff who can hit sixes from the word 'go'"
Bell got to his half-century with a second six, but a lack of pace on the ball from the home spinners eventually did for him as he holed out with 32 required.
As well as the running - Collingwood and Ian Blackwell both succumbed wandering down the pitch after playing a stroke, while Pietersen and James Anderson were sent back by the striker - England's pace bowling was not up to scratch.
Despite two fortunate early inroads - one from Sajid Mahmood, who sent down a three-over spell before giving in to stomach cramps - the young fast bowlers were not able to contain Suresh Raina and Mohammad Kaif.
