When they return home and consider their moves ahead of next month’s tour of the Caribbean, Kevin Pietersen and Peter Moores will be anxiously computing the pluses and minuses of a chastening winter.

In terms of results, the message is unequivocally gloomy. Setting aside what happens here in Mohali (although defeat is more likely than victory) every match of importance has so far been lost — a Twenty20 in Antigua, five one-day internationals and a Test in India. Nor is that the only unsatisfactory balance of accounts. The Ashes are seven months away and all England have to show from the past eight Test series are three wins against the minor opposition of New Zealand and West Indies.

In terms of personnel, things don’t look much rosier. Captain and coach will appreciate Andrew Strauss being freshly embedded at the top of the order, Graeme Swann blooded and wicketkeeper Matthew Prior deservedly restored. Against that, Monty Panesar has been bruised, Ian Bell looks confused and Steve Harmison has again been found wanting. A few reputations remain on the line.

No wonder, then, that England fought so hard yesterday when they appeared to be staring into the abyss. When India went to lunch on 302 for one, it looked as though this Test was well and truly decided. But although they may lack something in terms of talent, most of this England team remain strong in spirit. Perhaps they were the last people still believing in them.

They were led, predictably enough, by a herculean effort from Andrew Flintoff, although Swann was the man who got rid of the two players who had combined to produce an Indian second-wicket record stand against England of 314. Gautam Gambhir and Rahul Dravid rather gifted their wickets with tired strokes, but Swann deserved reward for his perseverence during a marathon 26-over spell.

Flintoff had already bowled nine overs in the morning. He now raised himself to a tremendous pitch in an effort to batter through the Indian middle order.

He was helped by Swann removing Sachin Tendulkar, missing a sweep, but he gave VVS Laxman a ferocious working over before trapping him lbw for a 24-ball duck. Moments later he should have had the wicket of the dangerous Yuvraj Singh, but Alastair Cook missed a straightforward gully chance. Had Cook held on, England would have taken five for 27 in 15 overs.

Flintoff and Swann are two of the feistiest characters in the England dressing room. Their efforts, which paved the way to the last nine wickets falling for 133, highlighted the power of positive thinking, not to mention the meek offerings of some of their teammates.

Recalling the mood over lunch, Swann said: “We all sat there laughing at each other, saying, ‘How bad are we?’ It was self-effacing humour — and it was important, because if we’d got down and down-trodden, it could all have turned out a lot worse.”

Naturally the most pleasing of his three wickets was the removal of Tendulkar. “He is obviously their best player,” Swann said, “so it is always in the back of your mind ‘I want this one’. As soon as it hit him, I thought, ‘You’ve got to give this one’. I went doolally. It was a brilliant feeling.” At least he didn’t do a Cameron White and start crying.

Bell has this match to redeem a dreadful tour. He cannot continue to open in ODIs and many thought he was lucky to hold on to his Test place here ahead of Owais Shah, a fine player of spin who would not retreat into his shell as Bell has done.

Bell’s character as much as his technique is under scrutiny. If he doesn’t make runs here, he could lose his place for the Caribbean to Michael Vaughan. The former England captain hasn’t done anything on the field to merit a recall but Pietersen and others are thought to be keen to have him back. If Bell survives, it may be Shah who misses out. Either way, Vaughan is tipped to be on the way back.