Throughout England's tour of Sri Lanka, England's senior pro Alec Stewart will be keeping an exclusive diary for CricInfo. His first entry, penned just before England's departure from Heathrow, looks at England's revival in 2000, as well as the prospects and key players in Sri Lanka. He also talks frankly about his batting difficulties in Pakistan, adapting to a middle-order position against spin on turning wickets. He also hints that he might not be ready for retirement after next summer's Test Series against Australia.

It's the first time we've met up as a team since getting home from Karachi and it's chaos – bat signing, interviews etc. Karachi was brilliant but we've got to start again. In the captain's words, it'll be an even harder tour in Sri Lanka than the one we've just experienced in Pakistan. I've only played Sri Lanka once in their own country and they beat us in the Test and the two one-day internationals. Their home record is excellent. The wickets there are suited to their style of play; they've got some very exciting batsmen led by Jayasuriya their captain, and they've obviously got a world-class bowler in Muralitharan. He's a quality bowler who's taken over 300 Test wickets. He probably spins the ball more than any finger-spinner I've ever seen, and that's why his record is as good as it is. We'll be practicing again – going back to the turning ball, that type of thing. We know it's going to be hard – not only the cricket, but also the weather conditions – the heat and the humidity make it doubly hard – and we've got to make sure we're up to the challenge.

Over the last six weeks, we did nothing up until Christmas; I took it easy and enjoyed spending time with the family. Then since the New Year we've been training – around half a dozen indoor nets or so. But you can only do so much in preparation for when you get out there, because you're training outside in sub-zero temperatures at times, and then you're going out there in 40 degree heat and 80 per cent humidity. So we know it's going to be hard, but that's the preparation I've put in and hopefully it'll stand us in good stead for the next few months.

In my career we've been on and off. We've won some series – we had a great win against South Africa back in '98, which was our first five-test series win for 12 or 13 years. We had a disappointing World Cup, a shocking time against New Zealand and we lost in South Africa. But since then we've been on the up, and it's nice to be part of a winning side, and long may that continue. But we're not kidding ourselves. We know it's going to be hard, not just Sri Lanka, but then we've got Pakistan at home - and the Aussies which is going to be hardest of all. But we'll enjoy our success while we're experiencing it, and make sure we do our best to make it continue for as long as possible.

As to my own form, it was only three Test Matches in Pakistan, and you're entitled to miss out on the odd game here and there. But I didn't score the runs I'd like to have got – what my record says I should score. It's hard – it's something new for me, going in on turning wickets against spin in the middle order. Normally I'm up at the top against the new ball, where I've had a lot of success. So this is going to be just as hard for me, but I've got to make sure I knuckle down and do my best.

Two years ago I said that the long-term goal was to be part of an Ashes-winning series this summer, and I'd still like to be part of that, and then we'll re-assess. But I've always said while I'm still enjoying the game – feeling fit enough, playing well enough, I'll carry on playing. I haven't put a date on when I'll be calling it a day – the important thing is that I'm enjoying what I'm doing at the moment.

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