Birmingham/Calcutta: India vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane has emphasised that patience would be the key to success in the upcoming Test series. He also pointed out that respecting the conditions carries immense importance, especially for batsmen.

At a media interaction in Birmingham on Monday, Rahane said: "In England, patience is the key. It depends on the weather. If it's sunny, it's good to bat, but if it gets cloudy, then definitely, it's good for the bowlers.

"As a batting unit, I feel that challenging yourself and backing your own game rather than copying someone else is important. If you're set, try to play a big innings. If the weather changes, it's important for the batsman to hold back and respect the bowler and respect the conditions too.

"If you're set here, you should really make it count. It's also a matter of communicating well...

"I think from both teams, bowlers are going to play a key role and as a batsman, you should respect that. Acceptance will be the key."

The last time India toured England, they lost 1-3 in the Test series. But the current team, led by Virat Kohli, seems ready to deal with this fresh challenge. It's about expressing oneself, as Rahane highlighted.

"Playing in England is always a challenge. We were here in 2014. We know what it takes to play good cricket here.

"For us, we want to play good cricket rather than think about the result. If you think about the result, you put pressure on yourself. This time we just want to express ourselves.

"Guys are in good shape. Personally, I enjoy the challenges, playing abroad.

"We know here in England the ball does a bit. In Australia, there's bounce. Again, in New Zealand, the ball does a bit. But my mind is in the present, and I take one match at a time. I'm really looking forward to this series," Rahane explained.

The series will be a "test of mind and character" for both teams, Rahane feels.

"More than skills, it's about our mindset, especially playing here in England. What your mindset is and how quickly you adjust and handle the situation is important rather than thinking about your skills.

"I feel that in terms of skills, both teams are on a par. So, it will be a test of mind and character here."

Among the batsmen, Shikhar Dhawan and Cheteshwar Pujara haven't been in the best of form of late and both them struggled in the lone tour match in Chelmsford. But that's not much of a worry for India, Rahane said.

"We are not worried at all as both are really quality batsmen. It just takes one good innings to get into your rhythm. We all back them.

"As far as I'm concerned, both are really quality batsmen and are batting really well at nets. It just takes one innings to get back to form," Rahane said.