Relaxed Andy Murray last night dismissed suggestions he would buckle under the pressure of being British No. 1 against Israel in the Davis Cup tie starting at Eastbourne today.

The visitors believe the 19-year-old Scot might crack because of the added responsibility of being the home side's senior player, particularly without the experience of injured veteran Greg Rusedski to lean on for the first time.

Israeli Andy Ram, who faces Murray in the second singles this afternoon, said: "The pressure is on Andy. The 5,000 crowd will be expecting him to win. It won't be easy for him."

Murray has been named for the maximum of three rubbers - two singles and a doubles - as Britain seek to ensure they stay in the European/African Zone Group and avoid a relegation play-off against the Ukraine in September.

But Murray, who made a winning debut when Israel were stunned on their home patch 16 months ago, coolly rejected the buck for success stops with him.

He said: "I don't think I have any more responsibility than any of the other players. If one person loses it is the team that loses, not just one person.

"The whole team win together and lose together.

"It is not about the fact I am No. 1, Alex Bogdanovic is No. 2, Jamie Delgado is No. 3 and Alan Mackin No. 4. We are all here together."

Murray will draw on the experience he gained in Ramat Hasharon in April 2005 when he became Britain's youngest ever competitor, aged 17 years 293 days.

He partnered David Sherwood to a shock victory against Israel's world No.12 doubles pair Ram and Jonathan Erlich to clinch a 3-2 group one victory.

He said: "I was pretty excited more than anything. I hadn't played guys as good as Jonny and Andy before. It was a big, big deal for me. It gave me my first experience of the atmosphere and expectations of the Davis Cup.

"I have now played three ties (with defeats against Switzerland and Serbia and Montenegro following) and the more I've played the more I've got used to it. I'm now more relaxed than I was playing Davis Cup."

Murray's career went into orbit after his doubles success with Sherwood. He has had two major runs at Wimbledon and an ATP Tour title triumph in San Jose, where he planted a kiss on the lips of Lewes girlfriend Kim Sears afterwards.

Murray has also climbed to a world ranking of 35, making him top seed at Newport, Rhode Island, last week when he reached the semi-finals.

But he is reluctant to say his Cup debut was a breakthrough.

He said: "Obviously my win with David in Israel was great and I played really well but that didn't win me matches through the rest of the year and improve my ranking. I did that by winning lots of other matches as I improved.

"Since Israel so much has happened. From being No. 4 in Britain I'm No. 1. It's been a pretty eventful 16 months."

Murray is raring to go on a near-perfect court for his style at Devonshire Park.

He said: "The bounce on the courts in Newport was too low. But Eastbourne's centre court has a decent bounce and the surface is quite quick. It suits me. Perfect? Yeh."

Murray is scheduled to team up with Delgado for the first time to take on Ram and Erlich tomorrow, before taking on Noam Okun in the reverse singles on Sunday.

He joked: "I asked Jamie a couple of times before but he turned me down."