Pietersen's ton set tone for England win

Kevin Pietersen's score of 17 and two in the first Test against India in Ahmedabad prompted questions about his technique against spinners in the subcontinent. Two weeks later, in the second Test in Mumbai, Pietersen's 186 dispelled all such doubts as he, and captain Alastair Cook, drafted a rearguard against India's three-spinner attack and helped England level the series 1-1.

India scored 327 in the first innings, helped by Cheteshwar Pujara's 135 and Ravichandran Ashwin's 68.

Pietersen came to the crease, with England at 68 for two, after Pragyan Ojha dismissed Nick Compton and Jonathan Trott cheaply. Pietersen's own battle against left-arm spinners is well known, having been dismissed by them 25 times in Tests since 2008, at an average of 34.20.

But while other batsmen struggled for fluency, Pietersen's attacking-posture, from the start, created an illusion that he was playing on a batting paradise. He was so dominant in the opening session of the third day that he took a game that was poised in the balance tipped it in England's favour.

He read R Ashwin's variation and, having done so, was confident enough to use his feet to hit the ball into the gaps. He then attacked Ojha and thrashed him for two fours and three sixes in a 17-ball spell. From the 194 deliveries that Pietersen faced from spinners he scored 163, punctuated by 21 boundaries.

It was a masterful innings that included the slog-sweep, the reverse sweep, the scoop, the cover drive, the cut and the lofted drive. Pietersen and Cook's 206-run stand gave England a 86-run first innings lead. India's batsmen struggled to cope with the spin of Panesar and Swann in the second innings too. They scored just 142, leaving England with 56 runs to win the Test - which they did without losing a wicket. Pietersen was named the player of the match for his exploits.