Forget the Ashes. Andrew Flintoff [Images] had already made an impact on the Indian audience with his bare-chest act at the Wankhede stadium in Mumbai in 2002.

So when he spoke with the media in Mumbai on Friday, four years on the pillar of an emerging England [Images] team, the first question shot off was straight and simple:

'Will you be taking off your shirt this time?'

"No, no," replied the all-rounder, with a smile. "I am a little bit older and wiser now."

But Flintoff fondly remembers the one-day international in Mumbai, where he claimed three wickets for 38 runs as England beat India by five runs to tie the series 3-3.

"It was great playing in front of 70,000 people in Bombay it was a thrilling experience."

The 28 year old from Yorkshire also believes it was the Indian tour in 2001 which developed his appetite for bowling.

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"I was mainly used as a defensive bowler. I bowled a few maidens, kept the runs down and kicked on as a bowler. After the performance in Bangalore (4/50) I gained a bit of confidence. The past two-and-a-half years I have started thinking more as a bowler.

"When I came in 2001, I was just back in the England side. I know my game lot better now; I have played a lot more against spin bowling and medium pacers, so I think I've progressed a lot. I am keen to score a few more runs, definitely more than 25."

Having lost the Test series 0-1 in 2001, where Flintoff aggregated 26 runs in five innings, Flintoff said England have a few points to prove this time. The visitors had a great year in 2004, when they won 11 of the 13 Tests they played, and now also have the confidence after winning the Ashes from the Australians after 18 years.

England's tour of India coverage

"We had a good run for the last year-and-a-half, except in Pakistan. It was a tough tour at the back end of the year. We know it's going to be tough in India and it is a good challenge, not just for me but a group of individuals. We want to do well, as we wanted to do well as a side. It's always good to check yourself in these conditions."

Though he believes it was a "shock" coming from the -2 degrees cold of England to the near-40 degrees in India, he said the heat will not be anything more than "uncomfortable".

The conditions in India will be a major factor for the English bowlers, who will have to rely mainly on their pace attack since they have three untested spinners, two of whom still haven't won a Test cap.

"Pakistan was a tough tour. It taught us that to win in the subcontinent you need to be patient and stay in the game at all times. I also realised you cannot turn up on the subcontinent without top fitness.

"We have practised hard enough going into this tour. I think we have a good attack; we have the swing of (Matthew) Hoggard, the pace and bounce of (Stephen) Harmison and then there is Simon (Jones) who can swing the new and the old ball. They have been bowling well in the nets. We will find out more about Monty Panesar [Images] and Shaun Udal during the tour."

Asked about his preparations for the tour, Flintoff said he was a little unsure in the nets during bowling because of the ankle injury he has been nursing after the Pakistan tour, but it really is his batting that has progressed enormously since the 2001 tour.

"Now I have a basic technique and method which I trust. I am slightly more patient and my shot selection, is by no means perfect, but it is a lot better than it used to be. I feel I approach an innings or practice a lot better and am experienced player in top cricket," he said.

It is the coming of age of the big all-rounder that has enabled England emerge as a big force in international cricket. But Flintoff is modest about crediting himself for the intensity his team showed in past couple of years.

"The whole side has been instrumental in raising the profile of cricket in England. Then, in the side there are individuals who have played good attacking cricket and it's the kind of cricket people want to watch. Different people have played at different times and, yeah, I have played my part in it, but so too have ten other guys.

"It is tough at times when you have to bowl a lot of overs and are then padding up, but I have enjoyed doing that. If I don't bowl I get bored in the field; it's just difficult to get the balance sometimes."