Calcutta: Kumar Sangakkara salutes India's batsmen for ironing out some of the flaws in their game after the visitors passed 200 for just the second time in 10 innings in England.

At stumps on Day I of the third Test at Trent Bridge, India were 307 for the loss of six wickets. Captain Virat Kohli top-scored with 97 and his deputy Ajinkya Rahane hit 81, as the duo stitched a 159-run partnership for the fourth wicket to brighten India's prospects to a fair extent in this Test.

"To compare conditions from anywhere in England to those particular few days at Lord's in the second Test might be a bit unfair. There was excessive movement in the air and off the pitch and the England bowlers bowled well and with a lot of patience. It would have been testing for any batting unit around the world.

"Conditions here at Trent Bridge, however, were not as taxing. The pitch is a bit more easy-paced, but the Indian batsmen adjusted extremely well to facing the English bowlers after the first couple of Tests.

"They tightened up their technique with the way they defended the ball. They played it a lot later than before, left it better than before. They've certainly worked on their technique.

"They also drove the ball with more extension rather than flourish and put the bad deliveries away. You must give credit to the work they have done between Lord's and here, allowing the team to build partnerships, particularly Virat Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane's 159-run stand for the fourth wicket," Sangakkara wrote for Sky Sports.

Talking about Rahane's knock, the former Sri Lanka captain and wicketkeeper-batsman said: "I think Rahane has a very good technique.

"He is very compact and simple in his set up. He has all the shots and also a strong mind to be able to put a bad patch behind him and focus on what works on the day.

"He had scathing Tests at Edgbaston and Lord's, but has now come out and shown what he is capable of."

Elaborating on Kohli's 97, Sangakkara added: "Kohli also plays every ball as it has presented itself. He has kept his positive intent in England, but has cut down his attacking shots and trusted his technique, which shows he is a thinking, evolving batsman."

Getting 400 would put India in a strong position, Sangakkara believes. "It was important that India put in a performance because if they lose this game, the series is gone.

"They will now be looking to get 400, which would put them in a very strong position."

About England's bowling on Day I, Sangakkara said that they bowled well in patches and looked frustrated at times.

<>"I think England's bowlers performed well in patches, but they were not able to generate the movement or the breakthroughs of the first two Tests and looked at times as though they were frustrated. Adil Rashid, before he dismissed Kohli, was not able to crank up the pressure by either limiting the scoring or bowling wicket-taking deliveries.

"That has meant the fast bowlers have been expected to deliver and I think they have searched for wickets and bowled where the India batsmen have wanted them to," he analysed.

Sangakkara wasn't happy with Ben Stokes's showing post the all-rounder's return to the side after being proven not guilty. "Stokes has not been at his best after a long week.

"He has bowled some good deliveries, but bowled short and wide on other occasions and will have to come back strong on Day II."