"Brian Lara's comment that Sachin is the best batsman on earth is like stating the obvious," he added.

The former fast bowler, however, warned against too much hype surrounding Tendulkar taking the focus away from the game.

"The hype around Sachin must not take the focus away from the game at large. For India, it is all about getting their
act in place for cricket can make a mockery of your reputation. The game against Somerset was a wake-up call for sure and the team management will now know what to do," he said.

Insisting that India would miss Virender Sehwag, Akram said, "India will miss Sehwag for sure. Sehwag's body language is so strong that it can unnerve the opposition. There are more chances of him scoring a quick and big one than he getting out to a lousy stroke. But his presence in the team in itself is a massive mental boost.

"Having said that, Gautam Gambhir has the technique and game to handle the English pacers. So he will have to play the leading role. There is not much one needs to say about Rahul Dravid, Sachin and VVS Laxman."

Akram also warned England against India's bowling attack as well.

"Don't forget India's bowling attack is quite good with all three seamers -- Zaheer Khan, Ishant Sharma and Praveen Kumar -- capable of moving the ball around."

On whether the Indian team should go with Amit Mishra or Harbhajan Singh as the spin department, Akram said, "That ould be another question confronting the Indian think tank. While I must say Mishra is India's best leg-spinner, I will till opt for Bhajji because he is far more experienced.

"Harbhajan is a feisty young fellow and he loves challenges. At this point in time, Bhajji must concentrate on his action as I feel his release is awry and he is not lighting the ball enough.