By Clare Connor England women's team

I am writing from unfamiliar territory.

For the first time in 10 years I will not be involved in a winter tour by the England women's cricket team.

As the players undertake a five and a half week trip which starts in Sri Lanka and ends in Calcutta, India, I will be at home because of injury.

Now the post-Ashes euphoria has settled, the journey must continue

Missing the tour makes me feel sad and a little lost.

But I know that with my vice-captain, Charlotte Edwards, taking charge of a squad brimming with confidence after our historic summer, I have nothing to be concerned about.

We are in great shape; the significance of which can only really be appreciated in the context of a huge amount of hard work, defeat, regrouping and learning.

True success can only really be understood and valued after those things have taken place and that is the journey that we have been on over the last few years, a journey no different from the England men's team.

Ashes success is surely the ultimate measure of success in cricket and we are all still smiling.

The challenges of the sub-continent that lie ahead for my team-mates will be enormous, both on and off the pitch.

Only four of the 2002 squad that last toured India are on this trip. However, the girls are as well prepared as they can be for the adventure that a tour of the sub-continent always is.

Sri Lanka have never played England on home soil before

They enjoyed a 'Ready, Steady Cook' competition involving Sri Lankan and Indian food during their last training camp at Loughborough.

And they have also listened to some wonderfully animated talks about life in India, its smells, its colour, its people and its own unique way of doing things.

The message, as always, is to be open-minded and embrace India for what it is and not criticise it for what it's not.

If the girls can operate by this precept they won't go too far wrong and will avoid many of the frustrations that can spoil a tour to this part of the world.

On the pitch, the Indians will be tough to crack.

They reached the final of the World Cup in April, although they were then hammered by the Aussies.

Their levels of fitness have improved beyond all recognition in the last year or so, and they are really well-drilled as a squad, operating as semi-professionals.

India dominated on England's last tour in 2002

However, if we play our one-day cricket with the same intensity as we did this summer to narrowly lose the series 3-2 to Australia, we will do really well.

As a one-day unit we have plenty of batting depth, three good spinners and a disciplined seam bowling unit - and our fielding is simply second to none after tireless work with Trevor Penney.

Now the post-Ashes euphoria has settled, the journey must continue.

There is no other destination than to prove ourselves as the best side in the world in forthcoming series over the next couple of years.

I think this tour to India is a perfect place to start and I will be with the girls in spirit every step of the way.