Centurion Andrew Strauss [Images] rubbed salt on India's wounds by saying that England [Images] would have any way batted first had captain Andrew Flintoff [Images] won the toss in the third and final Test in Mumbai on Saturday.

"We had decided to bat first if we had won the toss," said the opener after scoring a splendid 128 in England's close of play first innings score of 272 for three wickets.

Indian skipper Rahul Dravid [Images] surprisingly asked England to bat first after winning the toss in his 100th Test.

Strauss said he was happy to put behind his indifferent form in the series and get a three-figure knock in India, which he felt was a "tough ask".

"I was going through a bad patch. I am glad to come out of it and get into three figures in India. It's always difficult to play in the sub-continent," the 29-year-old Johannesburg-born player said.

The Middlesex opener, who made an elegant 128 in five and a half hours, said it was crucial to hang in there without being dismissed in the first hour and he was lucky to do so.

"The first hour was going to be crucial. I was lucky to be there at the end of it," he said.

Asked about the behaviour of the wicket at the Wankhede Stadium, Strauss who faced 240 balls and struck 17 fours and a pulled six - said there seemed to be more bounce than turn on it on the opening day.

"It had more bounce than turn towards the end of the day," he added.