Andrew Strauss was the first player to emphasise that England had an obligation to return to India after the savagery in Mumbai and he marked one of the most politically significant Tests in history by taking that sense of duty on to the field of play. His 13th Test century, a disciplined 123 spanning nearly six hours, is assured of its place in history.

"It is an important Test match for the game of cricket and to be able to play such a role in it was pretty special," Strauss said. "I didn't have much mental anguish. I decided fairly quickly that it was important to come back if the security was right. But to be able to concentrate on the cricket was a relief. You are travelling back to ground you have been on before. It made me feel refreshed and focused."

Whether Strauss' efforts will lead to an England victory is more dubious. They turned up, and for that they deserve credit, but to lose four wickets after tea and close the first day at 229 for five was a waste of an excellent toss.

"It was a hard slog to get out of net mode into Test mode but this was a flat wicket," added Strauss. "It looks like it will break up and I think spinners will play an increasingly dominant part in the game. If we don't get to 400 then the likelihood is that we will have to bat well in the second innings."

The opener proved that given a sound pitch and a determination to bat within strict parameters, it is possible to rise above the upheaval of the past fortnight. Strauss became the first England batsman to score a Test hundred on this ground since Chris Lewis.

But this time, for all Strauss' best efforts, England's innings went to pot. A controlled opening stand of 118 between Strauss and Alastair Cook encouraged visions of 500, rare territory, but as soon as Cook was dismissed, failing to loft Harbhajan Singh's off-spin over midwicket, uncertainty set in. Strauss fell seven overs before the close, working a return catch to the leg-spinner Amit Mishra.

To be a spectator at the Chidambaram Stadium was in itself a commitment to cricket. No bottles of water, no food, no mobiles, no bags. Sun cream was acceptable only if it had already been slapped on. The crowd on the popular side had to peer through bright blue netting. Everybody knew that England needed a net, but few expected the Tamil Nadu authorities to turn the entire Test into one.

The pitch was sluggish and India turned to Harbhajan's off-spin within eight overs. But the groundsman's insistence that the surface is a week underprepared warns that this will not turn out to be the sort of mind-numbing surface as the last Test in March when South Africa made 540 in their first innings and India responded with 627.

Strauss and Cook made 63 on a sedate morning session, both left-handers relying heavily on nudges and sweeps down the legside, Strauss not scoring a single run on the offside before lunch. It was Cook who initially looked the most authoritative, a flowing on-drive against Zaheer Khan identifying him, mistakenly as it turned out, as the batsman most likely to go on to three figures.

Strauss needed television replays to survive on 36 when he scraped a ball from Mishra on the half-volley to Rahul Dravid at first slip. It was against Mishra that England began to progress, Cook lofting him confidently into the deep to reach his half-century, but that was his last scoring shot as he tried to treat Harbhajan in the same dismissive manner and skied to wide mid-on, losing his wicket to Zaheer for 52.

From 164-1 at tea, England lost four wickets in the final session as the spinners begin to make the odd one bounce and Zaheer and Sharma made the ball reverse-swing.

Ian Bell's growing number of detractors will not be appeased by his departure. Zaheer went through his familiar stretching calf-stretching routine after tea, pulling his legs behind his back, and had Bell lbw to his second ball, a slack shot that suggested the batsman was more in need of a mental warm-up routine.

Kevin Pietersen was out of sorts throughout his half-hour stay, as disorientated as Strauss was orderly, a captain who had spoken of sleepless nights during the stress of the past two weeks. His first sign of adventure, a botched pull agaimst Zaheer, brought his downfall for just four runs.

Someone else who looked in sore need of acclimatisation was Billy Bowden, the New Zealand umpire, a late replacement for Asad Rauf, who had to withdraw when he was unable to update his city-specific visa. Cricket's respect for its umpires is rightly treasured, but Bowden's decision against Paul Collingwood, would have him banished to the second division the following week had he been a Premier League referee for some rest and resuscitation.

Collingwood virtually withdrew his bat as he allowed a delivery from Harbhajan to strike his pad. His bat was not within inches, the ball was heading way down the legside. Bowden gave him out. To aggravate matters, it was a repeat of an equally bad decision against Collingwood at Lord's five months ago, the South African slow left-armer, Paul Harris, this time benefiting from Bowden's error as Hashim Amla held on at short leg.

England's position of strength had been lost. A general invitation for them to attend the annual Chennai policeman's ball, conveniently staged in the team hotel, did not immediately promise to brighten their mood.