Yuvraj Singh stressed on the importance to put Friday night’s embarrassing Twenty20 loss to Australia behind them and focus on the first game of the tri-series against Australia at the Gabba on Sunday. Speaking to reporters, the Indian vice-captain, who will not play in the tournament-opener, added this is the best one-day team in the country right now.

The following are excerpts

On their prospects in the tri-series

We need to start well. We must get used to the wickets and the conditions, and make the switch from Test to one-day cricket... The boys (one-day replacements) have had no practice game. Australia is a tough tour, they don’t make it easy.... The boys realise that. They will grow through this tour. We are a hard-working, young team with a lot of aggression, and I am sure we will do well.

On the status of his injury

I won’t play football again, for sure. I have to push myself. It’s very important that I start playing as early as possible, but I can’t play when I am only 50 per cent fit. I must be at least 80-100 per cent before I start playing, and I am very confident I will play in a couple of days.

On his failure in the Test series

I didn’t start well either in Melbourne or Sydney, I didn’t spend enough time in the middle. That’s the reason for my failure. But it is just two games, and from what I have heard, it sounds like I have had 10-15 bad games. I had a very good last year. Failure in two Tests is not the end of the world. I can have a good game and come back, there is a lot of time in front of me.

On the omission of Sourav Ganguly and Rahul Dravid

In my opinion, this is the best one-day team in the country right now. It was this team which won the Twenty20 World Cup and is the team that will play in the future. Sourav and Rahul will be missed... They are top players, but we must look to the future as well...

On competition from Lanka

Australia are a very balanced team, but we must not forget Sri Lanka, who entered the World Cup final. We must be consistently good in all three departments to do well. It’s a young side, so we will field really well.

On the aggressive temperament

Aggression is not about abusing the opponent or staring at him. It’s about body language, about being positive and giving hundred per cent.