A bundle of nerves ahead of his Test debut, Hanuma Vihari said a phone call to Rahul Dravid put his mind at ease and helped him get the maiden fifty that rescued India from a difficult situation against England.

Vihari scored 56 and put on a vital 77-run partnership with Ravindra Jadeja (86 not out) to help India post 292 in their first innings on Day 3 on Sunday.

England finished the day with a lead of 154 runs. The home team has already sealed the five-match series 3-1.

"I called him the day before I made my debut. He spoke to me for a couple of minutes and I thought it eased my nerves a little bit. He is a legend of the game; and his inputs especially in the batting department (helped me)," Vihari said on Sunday of the influence of the former captain, who is currently the India 'A' coach.

"He just told me that 'you have the skill set; you have the mind set and the temperament, just go out there and enjoy yourself'...I would like to give him a lot of credit because my journey with India 'A' was very important for me to come here, his inputs made me a better player."