Murali Vijay’s maiden overseas Test hundred took India to 259 for four at stumps on a grinding first day of a five-match series with England at Trent Bridge on Wednesday.

Vijay was 122 not out after batting through the whole day’s more than six hours’ play, with India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni unbeaten on 50 exactly.

Together the pair had put on an unbroken 81 for the fifth wicket.

Vijay’s time spent studying England spearhead James Anderson had clearly been beneficial and the opener also thanked India’s former England coach Duncan Fletcher for his advice.

“I’ve worked a lot with videos of James Anderson,” Vijay told Sky Sports.

“The first 15 minutes are the toughest thing as an opener. I wanted to play straight and late.

“Duncan Fletcher has helped a lot because he knows how things work in these conditions.”

India, after Dhoni won the toss, overcame the early loss of Shikhar Dhawan to be 106 for one at lunch on a placid pitch.

England then took two wickets for one run to reduce the visitors to 107 for three and the run-rate slowed significantly, with Stuart Broad (one for 26 in 19 overs) particularly miserly on his Nottinghamshire home ground.

Vijay was into his stride right from the first over, which saw him strike Anderson for three fours in as many balls, and his first fifty featured 44 runs in boundaries.

Cheteshwar Pujara fell for his lunch score of 38, while rising star Virat Kohli, on one, then carelessly opened the face against Broad and guided the ball low to second slip.

England restricted India to a mere 18 runs in the first 14 overs after lunch, but Vijay later made the most of any opportunities he was given by England’s seam quartet.

Vijay spent 13 balls on 99 before a scampered single off Anderson saw the 30-year-old to his fourth hundred in 23 Tests and first outside India.