There are so many things that are exciting about a tour to India, but it can be a draining experience, too. It is important to embrace the sub-continent, retain a sense of humour and not let it get to you, otherwise India have won before you have started.

South Africa have been successful on the sub-continent in the past two years: we have won Test series in Pakistan and Bangladesh and we drew 1-1 in India in March and April. My team have yet to win a series in India, so I wouldn't want to make out that I'm some sort of guru.

But we have worked out a formula to play well there and this is my ten-point plan for success:

1 Deal with pressure

Playing cricket on the sub-continent is all about absorbing and applying pressure. You have to be able to endure dead periods, when not much happens. Be prepared to play boring cricket if that is in the team's interests. You may need to close the game down, scoring only 50 or 60 runs in a session, especially when the ball gets older and starts turning. And you need to stop the Indian batsmen scoring. They are not happy if the ball is not going to the boundary.

2 Adjust to the game's pace

When you play in South Africa, Australia or England, the game starts quickly and then slows up. You would generally give the first session to the bowlers because the wicket is fresh and there is normally something happening. Once you get through that first session, the pitch flattens out. In India the game is very slow to begin with. Say 450 plays 420 in the first innings, everybody thinks it will be a draw. Then the game quickens up, the ball turns square and you could be rolled for 150 in the second innings. It's the opposite of how you expect games to go elsewhere.

3 Make the first innings count

Win the toss and bat first, but that's only the start of it. Facing the new ball can be the best time to bat in India because of the attacking fields and the SG ball, which is harder than others and doesn't swing as much. But you have to make your first innings count. Then the opposition is playing catch-up.

4 Stay leg side of the ball

The way our batsmen did well in India was to stay leg side of the ball and score through off. Most Test batsmen in England or South Africa are back-and-across guys who look to get in line with off stump to counter bounce and sideways movement. If you do this in the sub-continent, you'll line yourself up for lbw.

Of England's batsmen, I think Ian Bell might have to change his technique because he is very much a back-and-across player. It will be a challenge for Kevin Pietersen as well, because he likes to get across and play through leg. Unless the ball is short enough to pull, flicking through the leg side is high risk.

5 Plan against spin

You need two key scoring options against India's spinners. Firstly, an accumulating shot, such as the sweep, which rotates the strike and relieves pressure. Second, an attacking option because if you allow Harbhajan Singh and Co to dominate, you will go nowhere. Neil McKenzie slog-swept well, while Graeme Smith waited until Harbhajan dropped short and cut or dabbed him through off.

6 Handling reverse swing

All India's quicker men bowl decent reverse swing. One method we've used is to stay a bit deeper in the crease and try to hit the ball to mid-on. Hashim Amla was good at that because he plays later than others. Whenever bowlers got it wrong, he would punish them through the leg side.

7 Use your bouncer

Don't be scared to bowl bouncers. It's the seam bowlers' one weapon in India to stop their batters lunging forward all day long and that is why Stephen Harmison is crucial. None of the Indian batsmen pulls, they prefer to cut. You bowl your bouncer to keep the batsman in his crease for your next ball.

8 Role definition

You have to be able to take 20 wickets, so certain bowlers need the freedom to attack. We allowed Dale Steyn to run in hard and go after the Indian batsmen, knowing he would go for four an over. But then you need other guys who can hold down the other end for you. Monty Panesar will be an important strike bowler in the second innings, but in the first he must be prepared to hold the game for your seam bowlers.

9 Bowling reverse swing

There's so little going for the seam bowlers in India that you have to be able to bowl reverse swing. The SG balls lose their shine quickly and they're also harder, which means they ping off the bat quicker. But they do reverse. In the first innings you should have Panesar at one end with your quicks rotating from the other, hopefully reversing it.

10 Play with field settings

We always say that in India “caught cover” is as good as “caught second slip” in our part of the world. Seam bowlers don't like getting wickets caught at cover but they need to change their mindset. Having catchers in front of the wicket is the Indian equivalent of second and third slips.

Any visiting team should be able to outfield India. Whereas Steyn might dive to stop a boundary at fine leg, Ishant Sharma will stick a boot out and it will go for four. India's fielding has improved but they're some way off most teams.