Indian opening batsman Shikhar Dhawan is exhorting his team to play with patience if they are to square the two-Test series against New Zealand in Wellington.

Dhawan believes India’s naturally flamboyant batsmen were caught out by the pace of the wicket in the 40-run first Test loss at Auckland last week. They were guilty of playing too many unnecessary attacking shots, particularly to short balls.

The tourists still nearly won the thrilling Test match, boosted by Dhawan’s 115 as they fell for 366 on the fourth day. Earlier their own seamers had scythed through New Zealand for 105 in the second innings.

That fightback had boosted confidence this week as India seek the first win of a miserable tour.

Dhawan hopes his teammates were watching the textbook way he went about his work – a method he plans to repeat in the second Test at the Basin Reserve starting on Friday.

“These wickets over here, they’re well-paced, especially the short balls, so I planned to play straight and just enjoy being at the wicket,” he said.

“You just have to play more close to your body, more straight. The ball swings at the start so you don’t get too many runs at the start.

“You have to be extra patient and once you get set, you can get some big runs.”

Dhawan scored 187 in his debut Test innings against Australia at Mohali a year ago. He didn’t pass 50 in his next seven innings before the defiant Auckland knock, where he ditched some of the shot-making that has served him well in a prolific limited overs career.

India will need to overcome a poor history at the famous venue if they are to win.

After winning their first Test at the Basin Reserve in 1968, they lost four in a row to New Zealand before the most recent clash was drawn in 2009.