Andrew Flintoff has made an urgent plea for England's players to be allowed time to experience the Indian Premier League and help sharpen their skills for the next World Cup.
The Lancashire all-rounder would be regarded as one of the hottest properties if England chose to release its players to allow them to play in the world's most lucrative Twenty20 tournament.
Flintoff and captain Kevin Pietersen could command massive salaries should they be given permission to play by the England and Wales Cricket Board and strengthen their already massive appeal in India.
But the 30-year-old Lancastrian also believes there would be other benefits to members of England's squad competing in the IPL by helping to develop skills which could be vital to a successful World Cup campaign in 2011 being staged in India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.
"A few of our lads are keen to play in the IPL and there has been a lot of talk about the financial rewards of it but I think by playing in it players will develop as well," he said.
"It's not just the Indian players that have developed, the West Indians that have played over here have also developed like Chris Gayle, who have moved their games forward."
"We have a Twenty20 World Cup coming up and a lot more one-day international cricket and if the lads get a chance to go I think it will help them."
England is still in discussions with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) regarding the release of players for next year's IPL tournament, which runs from April 10 to May 29, in return for India's top players featuring in the England Premier League starting in 2010.
Because of commitments to a home Test series starting on May 7, probably against the West Indies, England's players are unlikely to be given more than a couple of weeks to savour the atmosphere and competition of the IPL playing alongside players like Sachin Tendulkar, MS Dhoni and Shane Warne.
But Flintoff believes any exposure the players receive to sub-continent conditions and skills can only help their bid to triumph in 2011 and become the first England side to lift the World Cup.
"Some of the lads have not played a great deal in India, played in front of this type of crowds with the attention on cricket you get over here," he explained.
"The World Cup is over here in a few years' time so the more opportunities to play out here and develop your skills on these type of wickets, the more it will be beneficial to this group of lads."
Flintoff has already noticed during India's dominant displays in the one-day series against England, which it sealed with three matches remaining by claiming a 19-run victory in Bangalore, there is already evidence of how players have progressed due to their exposure to the IPL.
While England has struggled to adapt to the conditions, India's batsman have frequently dominated before its balanced attack has slowly squeezed any hint of a challenge from the tourists' batting line-up.
"In the four games we've played it's fair to say they've outplayed us in every department," admitted Flintoff.
"They're very well drilled and with playing the short form of the game they have learnt a lot of new skills with bat and ball and we've been found wanting a little bit."
"We've got three games left in this series and we're going to have to get something out of them. We can't win the series so it's down to our own personal pride and also trying to gain some momentum going into the Test series."
Flintoff also shrugged off fears about his left ankle, which has been operated on four times, after he was seen clutching it during Sunday's defeat in Bangalore following an on-going problem with the foot holes.
So much so that he has already told England's management he wants to play in every remaining match of the tour, including the three-day warm-up match in Baroda prior to the first Test in Ahmedabad, rather than rest for any of final three ODIs.
"The ankle is fine. I was a bit sore because of the foot holes but it was a different area to where I've had all the problems so I wasn't worried," he confirmed.
"I'd be keen to play in the last three games. We've got three one-day internationals, a three-day warm-up game followed by two Test matches so it's not that hectic."
England will train in Cuttack on Tuesday for the first time before Wednesday's day-night encounter at the Barabati Stadium and could look at experimenting with different combinations for the remainder of the series.
Sussex all-rounder Luke Wright is yet to feature in the series and may be recalled while Steve Harmison is expected to take over from James Anderson, who is yet to take a wicket in the series.