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Graeme Swann believes that England must win between 20 and 25 of their 29 one-day internationals before the World Cup in 2011 to be able to head to the sub-continent with realistic hopes of success.

Through mischief or coincidence the schedule has pitted England against Netherlands in their opening fixture, a repeat of the World Twenty20 embarrassment in June. The highlight for Swann and colleagues is the second game, against India in front of 100,000 spectators at Calcutta. Bangladesh in Chittagong is the most slippery banana skin.

The competition features 49 games in 43 days with a format as flawed as that at the stodgy event in West Indies in 2007. It will take 30 days and 42 group matches to whittle down 14 contestants to eight; only Bangladesh are likely to challenge the leading seeds. At one point, England have a single game in ten days.

Swann senses an enormous challenge. He said: “We must win series home and away, like Australia. They have just beaten India in India; last year we came a close fifth in a two-horse race out there. When we play badly we could lose to a local vicar’s XI. We have to wipe out those bad games.”

England have six self-contained series between now and February 2011, as well as a one-off game against Scotland next year. In that time, the selectors and management have four significant questions to answer:

1. Who partners Andrew Strauss?

It is a great tribute to Strauss that he is England’s leading one-day runscorer since being recalled against West Indies because of the captaincy. He lacks brute force, but is playing better than ever through the “V” and still cuts as well as almost anyone in the world. England need an aggressor at the other end.

Joe Denly’s preference for the front foot may serve him well on slower sub-continental pitches, although whether his technique will stand up to the very best bowlers is unproven. Ravi Bopara is not forgotten, Jonathan Trott is an option and Alastair Cook showed a new free-hitting facet to his game for Essex at the end of the season.

2. Where does Matt Prior bat?

After failing to find a wicketkeeper who can open the batting à la Gilchrist — Phil Mustard was discarded after ten games and Steve Davies is untried — England have decided to reverse their approach. So Prior, whose glovework has been smart out here, is now the man. But his position in the top seven is not cemented.

His most convincing innings was at No 3 in June, when he struck 87 against West Indies. Two months later he was at 4, and then 6 in the Champions Trophy, before falling ill. Chopping and changing does him no favours, but there are stronger candidates for his favourite role against the new ball.

3. Who is the second spinner?

How much easier for England if the back-up for Swann required in India comes from a batsman rather than a second specialist spin bowler. The team are crying out for the equivalent of a Chris Gayle, Sanath Jayasuriya or Yuvraj Singh who can offer up to ten solid overs while justifying a place as a batsman.

Kevin Pietersen is the closest thing, but not close enough, while the tournament is too soon for Adil Rashid to be considered an all-rounder. Mike Yardy may have come through with more backing a few years ago. If Samit Patel learns to resist the buffet bars, he will be back in contention. He is the ideal figure, as it were.

4. Where is the bowling threat?

Recovering in Dubai, is the simplest answer. Andrew Flintoff gives an extra cut as first change. Against that, James Anderson has unaccountable phases where his bowling goes unrewarded, in contrast to Stuart Broad, who has a priceless knack of removing batsmen when he is not at his best.

It is not hard to see why Australia have done so well in recent months. They have so many strike bowlers in their attack. Doug Bollinger, a fringe player, took five against India in Guwahati two days ago. Sajid Mahmood deserves another run, but Steve Finn offers something different at 6ft 7in and is worth a late punt.

• Andrew Strauss will rest as Paul Collingwood assumes captaincy when the 20-over leg of England’s tour begins this evening with a floodlit game against South Africa A in Bloemfontein (Richard Hobson writes). It will be the only warm-up to replicate the Twenty20 international on Friday.

Strauss has told his players to treat every game as a frontline fixture. The 13 or 14-a-side matches to open previous tours have been replaced with 11-man England sides The approach has brought two very good wins to date.

Graeme Swann, the off-spin bowler, says that England will not let up in Twenty20. He said: “We know it’s the future of cricket, the public like it, the sponsors are lined up and the Indian Premier League is arguably the biggest thing to happen to cricket in a long while.”