'I will be back playing for India' – Murali Vijay remains positive

"I will be back playing for India. I am positive, will sort a few things out, make runs – (but) firstly, I want India to win the series in England," Vijay, 34, said.

India are trailing England 2-1 in the five-match series, and Vijay, who had endured a lean patch either side of his century in the home Test against Afghanistan earlier this year, managed 20, 6, 0 and 0 from four innings in England, the last two innings earning him a pair in the second Test at Lord's, before being dropped from the XI for the third Test. In India's last away series, against South Africa in January this year, Vijay returned 1, 13, 46, 9, 8 and 25 from six innings.

It has been speculated that this omission could mean the end of the opening batsman's international career, but Vijay doesn't think so. "It is not the first time this has happened to me," he said. "I believe age is only a number. As long as my feet move and my head is still, I will continue to play."

On India's last tour of England in 2014, Vijay had emerged as one of the rocks of the batting line-up, accumulating 402 runs in the series that included a gritty 95 at Lord's that helped India win their only Test. So what exactly went wrong this time?

"The English pacemen had their game plan worked out this time, bowling closer to my body and making me play a lot more deliveries," explained Vijay, who has scored 3933 runs from 59 Tests at 39.33.