England batting all-rounder Ravi Bopara is determined to have fun in Sri Lanka.
The 29-year-old returns to contention for the seven one-day internationals with the islanders after his omission from Head Coach Peter Moores’ squad for the Royal London One-Day Series defeat to India on home soil.
But instead of heaping extra pressure on himself with a World Cup on the horizon, Bopara is more interested in enjoying his cricket in Sri Lanka.
"Obviously I was disappointed during the summer but that's life and I've got a great opportunity here,” Bopara said.
“I don't see it as putting pressure on myself and cementing my place, I see it as an opportunity and a good time to have fun.
"You sort of realise when you get dropped from the side what it really means to you and you should play every game like it's your last and really enjoy it."
The conditions England will encounter here will be far different to the ones they are set to experience at the World Cup in Australia and New Zealand early next year.
However, Bopara - part of the England side that won in Sri Lanka in 2007 - believes how they fair in the sub-continent will not have an impact on their chances at the showpiece.
.@ravibopara finishes his batting session #SLvEngpic.twitter.com/S5rtu0S7Nq
— England Cricket (@ECB_cricket) November 18, 2014
He said: "I think these conditions are good for us. In the past we've struggled on conditions sort of like Sri Lanka on the sub-continent.
"It’s nice to get some cricket on board right now. Seven one-dayers is a lot of cricket.
"You're playing against the best in the world when you play international cricket so it doesn't really matter too much about the conditions because the main stuff is going to start around Australia.
"When you're talking about getting used to conditions, we've got that triangular series just before the World Cup and that will be the time to really get used to the conditions."
England’s schedule ahead of the 2015 World Cup consists of just 50-over cricket, beginning with the seven matches against Sri Lanka and finishing with a tri-series versus Australia and India.
And Bopara believes focusing on one format acts as perfect preparation, adding: "It's ideal in the run up to the World Cup.
“The last thing you want is sort of Test matches in between, the team sort of getting jigged around and changing your tempos and that sort of stuff.
"It's perfect. I don't think there's any T20s either so it's the perfect tempo for us to get used to.
"What's even better is we go to Australia and play a series out there. A triangular series and get used to the conditions against two of probably the best teams in the world as well.”