As Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq became the oldest Test centurion in 82 years at England's famous Lord's cricketing ground, he cheekily dropped to his hands and knees and did 10 push-ups in quick succession as a nod to the training the team had received at an army boot camp.

The 42-year-old, whose ton was all the more impressive as this was also his first-class innings at the ‘home of cricket’, shot off a salute before he got on all fours.

"That was my promise to the army guys," Misbah said at a press conference after the match, referring to the unusual celebration.

"We did a camp in Abbottabad before the skill camp in Lahore, and we used to do an honour code every time, we just stepped into the ground and did ten push-ups. And I promised them, if ever I score a hundred, I will definitely do that to remind you that we were there."

Misbah slyly admitted that his drill sergeant would probably have sent him back to do another set of push-ups since his arms were too bent the first time around.

"When you are playing competitive cricket you don't just think about your age, but if you think you are [still] competitive you can take the challenge of playing that game," he said.

"I rate this as my top innings in Test cricket and I'm really happy about that... It's a dream to play at Lord's and especially getting 100, and the name on the honours board is something special," he added.

"These records are always something special, and they are very satisfying to make those kinds of achievements, but the main thing is just to keep achieving for your country."

In pictures: Cricketers given fitness training the military way at PMA Kakul

The Test captain said the team had worked hard in terms of fitness and skills, and acclimatising before the start of the series.

"All those aspects are really helping us. The batsmen are now adjusting to these conditions, they have got runs under their belts so they are confident, and now everyone is looking in good shape so that really helped us today," he said.

Pakistan were 282 for six after winning the toss at stumps on the first day of the first Test against England at Lord’s on Thursday.

Misbah was 110 not out after Rahat Ali was bowled by Chris Woakes off what became the last ball of the day.

"Obviously you need at least 400, that's what we are looking forward to," Misbah said. "We have to work hard tomorrow, so if we can bat more than a session we could really give us a big advantage. Here at Lord's, the average score is around 400 in the first innings, so that could give us something to put pressure on England," he said.

Read more: Misbah silences critics, scores remarkable century at Lord’s

The match was the first of a four-Test series, which also marks the return of left-arm fast-bowler Mohammad Amir after the spot-fixing saga that hit Pakistan cricket six years ago.

It is the same venue where his cricketing career came to a gruesome halt in 2010.

For all his time out of cricket, the 24-year-old retains the ability to swing the ball late at sharp pace, as he showed with a first-innings haul of three for 36 in Pakistan’s drawn tour opener against Somerset before he was rested from last week’s draw with Sussex.