England's experienced batsman Paul Collingwood reckons his unfinished partnership with Andrew Strauss will serve as an example for his teammates who just have to "change their mindset" when playing in sub-continental conditions.
With England losing three quick wickets in their second essay of the first Test against India, it was left to Collingwood (60) and first innings centurion Strauss (73) to put on an unfinished 129-run partnership that steered the visitors to a comfortable 172 for three at stumps on Day three.
"We lost three quick wickets. It was important that we made a partnership there. It is a cruicial one. I was confident at the crease," Collingwood said after the match.
"It is very satisfying for the kind of innings we played.
As a player you do realise situations and make a contribution. Today it was one of such situations", he said.
"It is not a technique adjustments but it is about maximum adjustments all the time. We do them all the time. In such adverse conditions it is more about mind set. I have been through this kind of situations in the past", Collingwood said.
He said it was imperative for the batsmen to concentrate hard in Indian conditions, particularly against the spinners.
"I made good of my batting. When you play in India you require utmost concentration and one silly mistake against the spinners and you are gone", he said.
"The way Strauss and I played today it is example for the rest of us and hopefully we continue in the same way. As for my individial batting today, I put it down to being a professional cricketer and sometime you got to play in some sort of adverse conditions," Collingwood said.
"We wanted to be hundred per cent focused to one simple goal. So far we have done pretty well," he added.
The all-rounder though refused to put numbers behind the victory target.
"We have not discussed anything as a team. We wanted to have few good partnerships. The pitch is breaking up. Even for the seamers it will break up. We would like to get as many runs as possible."
Talking about their plan of action against the Indian bowling attack, Collingwood said, "The pitch was crumbling. Even when seamers were bowling few deliveries were exploding. Not exactly coming flying to the wicket. The track was pretty slow.
"It is crucial that we get reverse swing as well when we come to bowl. We tried to stick to our plans as well as possible against the seamers and the spinners taking ones and twos."
Collingwood, though, revealed that he did not feel much pressure when going out into the crease.
"I was not under such pressure today. I was pretty comfortable at the crease. I just wanted to go and make some runs today," he said.
