Kumble says India ready for daunting T20 challenge

India's coach Anil Kumble has expressed quiet confidence in embracing India's new challenge of facing the World Twenty20 champion West Indies in two T20s in Florida.

Kumble..."in terms of the quality that we’re going to encounter, we’re aware of that."

India's coach Anil Kumble has expressed quiet confidence in embracing India's new challenge of facing the World Twenty20 champion West Indies in two T20s in Florida. Acknowledging the side will be 'tough' to face, Kumble looked forward to the series.

"West Indies has always been a tough side. They’re the T20 champions. Some of the West Indies players do not have to make the shift from Tests to T20, they’re coming straight off the CPL. They’re quality cricketers, they’ve shown consistently how good they are, we had a tough match in the semifinals of the T20 World Cup as well, so in terms of the quality that we’re going to encounter, we’re aware of that, and it’ll be a challenge," Kumble said.

"It’s a mindset change. It’s not easy when you play a Test series over two months and then coming in to a T20 mode. It’s more in the mind, rather than out there," he said.

Kumble press conference

It will be India's first international assignment in Florida. Kumble expressed excitement in playing in front of the Indian diaspora in the US, and liked the facilites at the venue. "Didn’t expect facilities to be as good as what it is, in the United States. I felt that it could be a makeshift; I’d heard about Florida and this ground, very impressed with the facilities that we have seen today. This is the first time that I’m seeing this ground, and the wickets are good, ideal probably for a T20.

"India is looking forward to the next couple of days. I’m sure the ground will be packed. The start is being made, from an Indian perspective, we are really looking forward to these two T20s against West Indies."

Besides the country, what will also change for India is the personnel for the shortest format. The T20s will mark the first time that India's T20 captain M. S. Dhoni will work alongside Kumble. "This is the first time I’m going to work with MS (as coach). We’ve played together over a long period of time. We had a chat yesterday and today as well, so I’m really looking forward to working with him and the new set of boys," Kumble said.

The T20s will be held at Lauderhill in Florida, on Saturday and Sunday.