India batsman Cheteshwar Pujara was modest yet honest when discussing his call up to the one-day side to face England this month, saying his recent form meant he was expecting the selectors to pick him.

Pujara has been a sensation in the Test side in recent months, and has been one of India's more consistent batsmen at number three. He has now been called up for the first time to the ODI side, replacing veteran Virender Sehwag, who was dropped for poor form.

The 24-year-old, who scored a double century in the Ranji Trophy last week, said: "I was expecting this call. I did well in the one-dayers at the domestic level and when I went with the India A team to England.

"So I was quite confident that I could play the ODI format. I have proved that at the domestic level now it's a question of proving the same thing at the international level.

"I'm hopeful of getting to play in the final eleven. I may not get to do that in the first match but whenever. Not sure what the team strategy is but once I get to the team I will get to know what my role is. If given a chance, I'm very hopeful of doing very well.

"I don't need to prove to anyone other than myself, I know that I can do it. I have done it at the domestic level, so it is just about playing the game properly than worrying about what people will say.

"If I'm not doing well today then tomorrow I can still do it, I'm young I have still got enough time to prove myself, I don't play cricket to prove anything to anyone."

It took a long time for Pujara to be called up to the ODI side, despite his prolific form on the domestic scene for the past two years, and he attributed that to various injuries and bad luck, but said he was ready to take his chance.

He added: "At times I was unfortunate also, because I had two injuries, I was out of the game for more than a year. When you are performing well and you get an injury, you have to start from the scratch, I believe that your concentration, your technique goes down a bit.

"That way I had to work a little extra to get into the team. Now I am happy because I am fit and doing well in Tests and now have got a call in the ODI format as well. Things are on track."

The first ODI will be played in Rajkot on 11 January, though Ajinkya Rahane is expected to open the batting alongside Gautam Gambhir.