Three days since we left home and it's safe to say that day one did not go according to plan. An early morning (4.30) start meant it was never going to be my favourite day, but what was to follow put it past funny and more towards ridiculous.

I don't want to detail it, because I could gladly fill two pages of writing on what happened, but a quick summary of the day might read something like this: early starts, missed flights causing delayed flights, 45 minute queues for security, half-hour waits on a bus, plane "food", broken TVs on the plane, more plane "food", lack of sleep, lack of food, lack of baggage and all topped off with a 3 hour drive from the airport to our hotel in Pune. It's pretty certain that everything that could possibly have gone wrong...went wrong.

I have to say, I'm glad to have gotten that out of the way because two days later and my bag has only just arrived. From what I've written, you'd be forgiven for thinking everyone is counting the days until we leave but that isn't really the case. Moods amongst the group are surprisingly upbeat - I think taking in the whole culture and experience has pushed day one aside for the time being.

That, and the fact that it's constantly 30 plus degrees. Accommodation is way above "adequate" as JP put it last year and the training facilities, located quite close by, are excellent. Yesterday, given that we had no gear, was a relaxed and light session but we could see immediately that training was going to be far different from what we were used to back home.

Our go-to man, Sachin Bajaj, had sorted us out with a skinny bat each, easily one-third as slim as a normal cricket bat, as well as a multitude of miniature tennis balls. Exercise one sounded like a stroll in the park: one throw, one bat. Grand, no problem. However, if you ever want to feel like you are truly the most untalented cricketer in the world, then this exercise is for you. Try as we might, I'd say more than half the balls we faced just sailed harmlessly by the bat. Even now, after two days of doing it, every delivery is a struggle just to connect in some way with the ball! I'm getting there, but I'm far from even mediocre.

The day finished in the afternoon with a net using some local gear against local bowlers aged between 16-19 and everyone went back to the hotel satisfied that they had made absolutely no impression on the coaches whatsoever!

Day two, today, was a huge improvement, however. We started again with our tennis ball drill in the morning, before doing some quick shopping around lunchtime for emergency clothes, much to George Dockrell's delight after having looked quite the idiot training in a pair of his lovely dubes for a day and a half (I suppose I should include Nigel in this too, having been rambling around in the same clothes he arrived in Dublin airport in for two days).

The afternoon session is net time, again with the locals. The wickets in the nets are good without being amazing, so it's not exactly easy the entire time. Everyone gave a much better account of themselves this time round and I'd hazard to say that the Indian bowlers were on the end of some stick. So far, apart from the obvious set-backs, the trip shaping up to most definitely be worth it. Our coaching team are an experienced group of guys who've worked with several Test players.

Coaching itself is more about the individual and their own technique – any advice given is relative to your own playing style and avoids coaching according to the book. It's flexible for everyone and allows us all to focus on what we wanted to achieve rather than what the coach wants a whole group of players to achieve.

The initial formalities and nerves out of the way, I'm looking forward to the next few days. I don't expect it to be easy, but everything in life is a process and this trip is a part of that. Adi Birrell was a huge advocate of philosophy that to be confident in everything that you do in cricket, you must do it a million times. Maybe that's a slight exaggeration, and we certainly won't do it in our ten days here, but it's step along the way. T

hat's all for now, till next time.

Eoghan Delany