India completely folded in the recent Test series between the two sides, going down 3-1 after innings defeats in each of the last two games.
That has prompted a change at the very top, with former captain Ravi Shastri drafted into the technical staff to "oversee and guide the Indian cricket team", alongside head coach Duncan Fletcher.
Though Shastri has insisted his arrival does put Fletcher's role into any doubt, the removal of bowling coach Joe Dawes and Trevor Penney, the team's fielding coach, hints a change could be in the offing.
Upheaval of that nature could be disastrous for India as they look to defend their World Cup crown in Australia next year, with teams having just six months left to prepare.
England went into the Test series in similar disarray, but their performances have quieted the calls for Alastair Cook to resign as captain, and he will hope to keep the positivity flowing in the 50-over format.
Cook could have a new partner at the top of the order, with opener Alex Hales in line to make his ODI debut.
The 25-year-old averages a healthy 37.85 opening for England's Twenty20 side and is one of just six men to score a century in the shortest form of international cricket.
Despite missing out on a place in this year's IPL, Hales has been in supreme recent form, with three centuries in the Royal London One-Day Cup for Nottinghamshire, and he believes that the Indian snub has worked in his favour.
"Had I got picked up in the IPL then would I be discussing England now? I don't know," he told the Daily Telegraph earlier this week.
"With that door closing another has opened. I'm almost glad it did shut on me.
"It let me work on my four day game. Had I gone to India then it would have been T20 and whacking the ball out the park rather than technique and building an innings.
"Twelve months ago I wouldn't have imagined being in this position at all. Six months? Yes. I thought about the direction of my career a little bit in the winter.
"I had a bit of time away from the game and then time in the Big Bash. It gave me time to rediscover my hunger for runs and building innings and working hard on technique. I'm really happy to have reaped the rewards for working hard."
India scrambled a semblance of positivity back in their only warm-up game for the series, Virat Kohli responding to a dismal effort in the Tests with a knock of 71 against Middlesex - Ambati Rayudu also impressing with 72.