I will take a draw in Nagpur: Cook

It was an impossible thing to comprehend at the start of the series. However, after three Tests it seems the most likely thing to happen, English win that is.

- Scorecard | Match Report

A comprehensive seven-wicket win over India in the third Test at the Eden Gardens helped England take an unbeatable 2-1 lead in the four-match series.

The visitors also thrashed India in the second Test at the Wankhede to rectify the reverse suffered in the opening Test at Motera.

And should Alastair Cook's team draw in Nagpur they will complete their first win on Indian soil in 27 years – David Gower led England to a 2-1 series win in the 1984-85 series.

"I will take the draw now," admitted Cook, shortly after picking up the man-of-the-match honours for his splendid 190 in the first essay. He was quick to back up his excitement with caution though.

"You can't go into a game with that mentality," he continued, "If you get carried away and start looking ahead it affects your performance. You have to produce the goods."

The England captain was also categorical in his analysis of the match.

"I would say it was a lot of hard work and more importantly, we took what we did at the nets to the middle," explained Cook.

"It was a great team performance, to keep them down to 300-odd on this wicket was a fantastic effort and so was our comeback in the second, after they had got such a good start," he added.

The contentment in the voice of the English captain was palpable. "We have played close to our potential in the last couple of games," he asserted.

"We are going in the right direction but need to keep improving," he added.

While England travel to Nagpur looking to seal the series, personally for Cook the place has great memories.

"It was at the venue that he had made his Test debut, back in 2006, scoring a fifty in the first innings and a hundred in the second.

"It seems a long time ago now," recalled Cook, adding, "It's a special moment no doubt. Hope I can put in a repeat performance."

Considering he has scored centuries in all the three Tests played an encore is not impossible.