The pitch for the 2nd Test between England and India was a raging turner. England's batsmen notoriously weak against spin while India went in with 3 spinners.

So why did India lose?

And how can you make sure your own team doesn't suffer a similar fate?

We have all been there; arriving at a pitch that seems tailor-made for your strengths. It's even better when you look at the opposition and realise they struggle in the key match-ups.

You rub your hand, like MS Dhoni must have done.

Here are the things that happened next:

1. Win the Basic Battle

It's easy to get carried away on a spinning wicket with a team full of spinners. You subconciously assume wickets will tumble however you bowl.

In fact, you need to focus even harder on getting the basics right. England's Swann and Panesar bowled with a more accurate line and length than Ashwin, Ojha and Harbhajan and were rewarded with much better results.

Admittedly, the conditions were more suited to the quicker pace of Panesar than any other bowler, but he still needed to bowl well. If he had bowled too short or wide he would have been cut and pulled by the experienced Indian batters.

Take Home Point: No matter what kind of bowler you are, you still need to bowl in the right area on helpful pitches.

2. Have Patience

Even on bowling pitches, batsmen can get in, make runs and make the pitch look like it plays easy. Both sides were aware of this, but England showed great patience when Indian batsmen got set.

Rather than waiting for a breakthrough, as India tended to do, England changed the bowling and plugged away at a line and length they knew would eventually be successful.

Take Home Point: It's easy to get distracted to mix things up too much, or wait too long before making a change. Find the balance of patience if you are confident in your plan.

3. Make the Most of Luck

England were certainly luckier than India with umpiring decisions. They were also luckier on a pitch that was so difficult that one good innings changed the game.

But, England also made more use of that luck than India. Pietersen and Cook went big with hundreds. They looked for moments of luck then exploited them. They expected their chance to come rather than assuming the odds were against them.

Take Home Point: You have control over how lucky you are by making the most of opportunities.

It demonstrates that even when you hold a strong hand, you can lose if you are not careful. You should always be looking for the perfect balance of playing skilfully, being patient without getting frustrated and making the most of your luck.

That skillset works at every level of the game.