India v England: Joe Root happy with battling 73 on debut

England debutant Joe Root said patience was the key factor in his 73 against India in the final Test in Nagpur.

The 21-year-old faced 229 balls and shared a partnership of 103 with Matt Prior as England made 330. India were 87-4, 243 runs behind after day two.

"I just had to work hard and grind it out, because the guys who'd gone in before said it was tough," he said.

"We're in a pretty good position now. So I hope we can kick on tomorrow and really do some damage in the morning."

Yorkshireman Root justified the decision to include him ahead of Samit Patel and bolster the batting at number six, spending almost five hours at the crease before his was the eighth England wicket to fall.

"It would be wrong to say there's no nerves when you're waiting to bat in Test cricket for the first time," said Root.

"But I've got a great team around me, who are very encouraging and very helpful.

"Then once I got in the middle, I was quite relaxed. I'm obviously delighted to get the opportunity, and then to score a few runs is a really good feeling."

He was dismissed by Piyush Chawla after chipping a low return catch to the diminutive leg-spinner.

When asked about missing out on a century he said: "I wasn't really thinking that far ahead... but that's what you dream of as a kid.

"It'll just make me more determined if I get an opportunity in the future."

Listen to match highlights and Jonathan Agnew and Geoffrey Boycott's analysis of the day's play on the Test Match Special podcast.

We are using archive pictures for this Test because several photo agencies, including Getty Images, have been barred from the ground following a dispute with the Board of Control for Cricket in India, while other agencies have withdrawn their photographers in protest.