Tendulkar defends under-fire India

Sachin Tendulkar has defended the tactics blamed for India's recent slump in form and expects the hosts to regain their one-day touch in the Champions Trophy.

"Experiments should go on to a certain extent," the batsman told reporters on Sunday. "I know it is equally important to settle down and figure out individual roles.

"That doesn't mean we should totally stop experimenting. There should be a nice balance, but things will change for sure," Tendulkar said.

Skipper Rahul Dravid and coach Greg Chappell came under fire from former players and the media after losing a one-day series in the West Indies 4-1 and failing to reach the final of last month's tri-series in Malaysia, won by Australia.

"Just because we didn't play well in Malaysia doesn't mean we won't do well here," Tendulkar said. "This is a new tournament and we would like to approach it differently."

India, bidding to add flexibility to the side for next year's World Cup, have unsuccessfully switched Dravid as one-day opener and moved explosive batsman Virender Sehwag down the order in recent games.

Dravid said rotating players and trying them out in different roles was needed to find the sort of depth displayed by Australia.

"All the time you got to improve your team. Otherwise, you are going backwards because everyone around you is constantly improving," he said.

Chappell said he did not expect the team to be ready until the World Cup, which starts in March.

"The World Cup is a long way away," he said. "We're not looking to be settled probably until then.

"If other teams are settled, that is their concern," he said. "Our concern is to be settled when we need to be."

India play England in the opening pool A game of the Champions Trophy next Sunday.