India are fit, settled and ready for the World Cup, Sachin Tendulkar said on Sunday.

"We've been improving for the last 20 months, and we've won games in each country we've visited," Tendulkar said. "Now we've got to show more consistency."

Tendulkar said better selection policies had helped settle the team and had driven India's progress.

"We have a better balanced side, and the players have been able to put things together when it mattered," Tendulkar said. "Our fitness levels have also improved a lot."

Tendulkar played down the significance of India's match against Pakistan in Centurion on March 1, the first time the rivals will clash since the Asia Cup in 2000.

"It's obviously going to be a big game, but from our team's point of view it's just another big game," he said.

Coach John Wright said poor pitches had contributed to India's downfall on their tour of New Zealand this season.

"We played nine international games in New Zealand, and the side batting last won eight of them," Wright said.

"The wickets have been very good in the net practices we've had here."

India will play their first warm-up match against Natal XI in Pietermaritzburg on Tuesday.

The opening match in the World Cup is between South Africa and West Indies in Cape Town on February 9.