Swann aims to make sacrifice worthwhile in bid for World Cup

The England off-spinner admits it was a “gut-wrenching” experience to leave his wife and first child behind, when World Cup duty beckoned for him in the sub-continent.

But there was no other option, and Swann is already plotting a campaign to make his absence worthwhile. He began with a commendable 2-35 in a distinctly patchy team performance in the opening Group B win over Holland in Nagpur.

Much more will be required from England in their second assignment because tournament favourites India await them at Bangalore’s M Chinnaswamy Stadium on Sunday.

The form book points decisively to the co-hosts, 87-run victors over Bangladesh in the opening match last weekend against an England side who scraped past the Dutch.

Swann, however, cannot wait to try to silence the home crowd even if he is still struggling to catch up with his life-changing events on different continents.

“It’s a bit of a whirlwind,” said the 31-year-old. “As any new parent will testify, jet-lag is something that is not just confined to flying on aeroplanes – because once you’ve got a baby you keep strange hours.

“But to get on the plane and realise that I’m going to the World Cup now is nice.

“It’s gut-wrenching to leave. Within two days of the little fella coming into the world, I’m saying a teary goodbye. He doesn’t know what’s going on – but I do.

“But that’s our lot as international cricketers.”

Looking to the next game, Swann added: “The fact it’s against India in India is going to make it a huge game. We had a very poor time of things in the one-day series here a couple of years ago.”

Before the terrorist attacks in Mumbai resulted in the cancellation of the last two matches in 2008, England lost 5-0.

“That’s certainly something we want to turn around, because there is nothing better than silencing an Indian crowd. You don’t want them to be screaming all day, because it’s ear-shattering,” added Swann. “We will need to raise our standards, particularly in the field.”

n Shahid Afridi picked up five wickets as Pakistan thrashed Kenya by 205 runs in Group A match in Hambantota.

Afridi took 5-16 off eight overs as Kenya were bundled out for 112 in 33.1 overs in response to the 1992 winners’ total of 317.