Buttler and Ben Stokes showed application and determination in the second innings at Trent Bridge and prolonged England's resistance on day 4. 

The duo added a 169 run stand and persisted the England resistance almost till the end of day 4. England coach Trevor Bayliss has asked his players to take some lesson from the way the duo showed their application and patience when it mattered for England. 

“It's not as if we don't talk about it behind closed doors, try to work out why it's happening," said Bayliss. “It hasn't been any different over the last two or three years; we play extremely well and then get beaten well. But it sets things up for a really good last two Test matches.

"The guys work hard out in the nets. And I think, actually, what we've got to do is take the example of young Ben [Stokes] and Jos [Buttler] yesterday and learn from it.”

Buttler and Stokes showed plenty of fight, putting on a gritty 169-run stand after England had been reduced to 62/4. Buttler scored his maiden Test century in an atypical knock of attrition, and the two ensured India were made to work for their victory.

Bayliss urged the top order, fragile once again, to do the hard yards. "There haven't been a lot of runs scored at the top of the order, but it has been the same for most of the other teams we have played as well," he said. 

"It is about assessing the conditions, and working out individually how best to go about, not just surviving, but leaving well, defending well and putting pressure back on the opposition.

"We've got to do the hard yards. There is not a lot of difference between success and failure. You can nick one, or play and miss like Jos did on occasion in his innings, like Virat [Kohli] has done. At times, it's millimeters in it, but that is the game.”

Bayliss has backed Cook to shed off his poor form and come back strongly in the final two Test matches. “Cooky hasn't changed his demeanour whatsoever," Bayliss said. “He still practises as hard as anyone, if not the hardest in the team.

“He is striking the ball well in the nets, and I wouldn't say necessarily that he is out of form. He'd obviously like to score a few more runs than he has got just lately.

“But, if he is striking the ball well, and he is still motivated to play, then it is more than possible to get those big scores again.”

The fourth Test at the Ageas Bowl in Southampton starts on 30 August.

(With ICC inputs)