India's captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni. - file

Dethroned ICC World Twenty20 champions India arrived here yesterday confident that they will put up a good performance against the West Indies in the upcoming one-day series.

Shortly after touching down at the Norman Manley International Airport, captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni said they expected to play some good cricket.

"I think it's going to be a competitive cricket (series) and we are looking forward to it," Dhoni said of the four-match Digicel Series, which opens at Sabina Park on June 26.

"We expect some tough cricket and we are prepared for that," said the captain, who said their disappointing Twenty20 exit is behind them.

"In a 20/20, once you lose the initiative at the start it's very difficult to come back ... so that's one big difference when it comes to T20 and 50-over cricket," he explained.

Injured finger

The squad arrived without their top player, Sachin Tendulkar, one of the greatest batsmen of all time. Tendulkar has opted out of the tour to rest an injured finger. Other key players, pacer Zaheer Khan, experienced opener Virender Sehwag and young middle-order batsman Suresh Raina, will also be missing.

Even without those four, Dhoni said "The Indian team is well balanced."

"The team that plays consistent cricket over the series will come out as winners," he continued. "We have to play consistent cricket and I think that will be the key for us."

India and West Indies will meet in four ODIs - in Jamaica on June 26 and 28 and in St Lucia on July 3 and 5.

INDIA SQUAD - Mahendra Singh Dhoni (captain), Yuvraj Singh, Gautam Gambhir, Rohit Sharma, Harbhajan Singh, Pragyan Ojha, Yusuf Pathan, Murali Vijay, Subramaniam Badrinath, Rudra Pratap Singh, Praveen Kumar, Ishant Sharma, Abhishek Nayar, Ashish Nehra, Ravindra Jadeja, Dinesh Karthik.