Virat Kohli says the challenge of beating England in an away series works as motivation for India, rather than applying pressure. 

The two nations will play each other in three T20s, three ODIs and five Tests over the next two months, with the opening 20-over clash taking place in Manchester on Tuesday.

India dominated England when they travelled to the subcontinent in 2016-17, winning eight of 10 matches across the various formats.

Facing England in their home conditions is a much stiffer test for Kohli's men, but it is one they are relishing.

"Playing against a good team in their conditions and at their home, to get the opportunity to be able to beat them in their home conditions, it is a point of excitement for us and not pressure," Kohli told a media conference.

"Because when they came to India last time, we won the series and the trophy is with us, and now they are on home soil and they need to play well to win it back.

"We will play fearless cricket and literally we have nothing to lose."

And Kohli says India's approach is just as important as their performances on the pitch.

"Takeaway from this tour obviously will be the way we play our cricket and the mindset and the attitude that we maintain for the length of the tour that we are here," he added.

"No one can guarantee results, but just wanting to win every session and every ball that we play, if we can carry that on for the length of the tour, I will be really proud as a captain and we will be really proud of ourselves as a team.

"This is what we did in South Africa until the last day of the tour. We continued the mindset from day one, even though we lost some games, but we knew we were in the games for us to be able to turn it around very quickly and that is why those results followed after."