India will take on England in the opening encounter of the five-match ODI cricket series at Bristol today. The match is slated to start at 3 p.m. India team is looking to make a fresh beginning and salvage lost pride after losing the just concluded 5-match Test series against the hosts by a 1-3 margin. The ODI series assumes importance in view of next year's Cricket World Cup. That tournament, to be hosted by Australia and New Zealand, is now just six months away. India will be evaluating their players in the three ODI series between now and the World Cup. After the current series in England, India will be playing against West Indies at home and then the tri-series on the Australian tour.