MUMBAI, March 18: Andrew Strauss returned to form with an elegant century as England made the most of India’s surprise decision of electing to field first in the third and final Test on Saturday.

The left-handed opener, without a half-century in his last four innings of the series, scored 128 for his eighth Test hundred as depleted England posted an impressive 272-3 at stumps after being put in to bat.

Stand-in captain Andrew Flintoff was unbeaten on 17 with all-rounder Paul Collingwood (11).

India captain Rahul Dravid, playing his 100th Test, won the first toss of the series and elected to field, only to see his bowlers struggle for success on a good batting track.

The hosts could grab just one wicket in the first two sessions and two in the last, with seamer Shanthakumaran Sreesanth finishing the day with 2-51 and off-spinner Harbhajan Singh with 1-68.

Strauss, 29, received valuable support from Owais Shah who scored an exact 50 on debut after being named in the team as a late replacement for in-form opener Alastair Cook, who was ruled out of the game due to a stomach ailment.

Karachi-born Shah added 106 for the second wicket with Strauss before retiring hurt with cramps in his hands, but he will be able to bat on Sunday.

England, already missing four members of their Ashes-winning squad, suffered yet another setback when they lost Cook, just a day after strike bowler Steve Harmison had pulled out due to a shin injury.

But England showed character in a crisis, with Strauss showing the way in hot and humid conditions with a commendable knock in a match his team need to win to square the series.

The hosts gained a 1-0 lead with a nine-wicket win in the second Test at Mohali after the drawn opening match at Nagpur.

Dravid’s hopes of getting a couple of early wickets were shattered by makeshift opener Ian Bell (18) and Strauss, who put on 52 runs.

India could dismiss only Bell in the morning session but not before he had given his team a sound start. He batted patiently before falling to a loose drive, caught by Harbhajan at point off Sreesanth.

The hosts went into the match with three seamers for the first time in the series, but Irfan Pathan, Sreesanth and Munaf Patel were unable to put pressure on England even on a pitch that initially offered bounce.

Strauss and Shah showed there was little in the track for seamers and spinners as they continued to gather runs comfortably.

There was more frustration for the Indian captain who dropped Strauss on 92 at lone slip off Harbhajan, the ball racing to the boundary.

Strauss completed his century off the next delivery when he firmly swept for his 12th four. He was eventually caught behind off Harbhajan after adding 72 with Pietersen. He hit one six and 17 fours in his 240-ball knock.

Pietersen also fell in the last session, making a brisk 39 with one six and five fours before being caught behind off Sreesanth.

India’s successes came late in the day as Strauss and Shah defied the attack for more than a session with their contrasting knocks. The opener was all patience and timing, while Shah went for shots from the beginning.

Shah punished Pathan, once flicking and twice driving him straight for three fours in an over. He reached his half-century in style, driving Harbhajan through the covers for his eighth four.

Sachin Tendulkar made his 132nd Test appearance, an Indian record.

Scoreboard