KEVIN Pietersen faces a tough challenge to lift England's spirits over the next few days and provoke a performance from them in the second and final Test against India.

The tourists fly to Chandigarh today still smarting from their energy-sapping six-wicket defeat at the Chepauk Stadium yesterday, when India successfully chased 387 following a brilliant, unbeaten century from Sachin Tendulkar and Yuvraj Singh's 85 not out.

It left England, who dominated the majority of the Test, shattered at their inability to put India under more pressure during the final day on a wearing pitch and with conditions in their favour.

But captain Pietersen will reinforce the positives about their performance and attempt to lift spirits sufficiently to mount an attempt to level the series in the final Test in Mohali which starts on Friday.

Asked how he would pick up the morale of the dressing room, Pietersen replied: "I think it's simple - 70% of this Test was ours, we lost 30% and lost the fixture.

"Last time we were here we drew the series by winning the last Test and we've got one Test left here to try to draw the series.

"It doesn't feel great losing but I said before the Test we were not going to use any excuses for losing or not putting on a real good performance, but I think our lads put on a fantastic performance over the five days."

Perhaps the biggest concern for the tourists was the performance of left-arm spinner Monty Panesar, who should have been a major threat throughout India's run chase but instead finished wicketless.

It is the third time in the last six Tests that Panesar has failed to claim a wicket in the final innings of a match, when spinners traditionally are at their most threatening.

But Pietersen refused to single out Panesar for criticism, although England may consider their options for Mohali with Stuart Broad expected to be passed fit for selection following the hamstring injury he sustained during the one-day series.

"I'm all right with Monty, I've got no dramas with Monty," claimed Pietersen.

"People can nit-pick and talk about individuals and their performances but I think we win as a team and lose as a team as well.

"I'm not going to start picking out individuals and saying anyone is low on confidence or hasn't performed - we've just got to pick ourselves up for the next one."

Pietersen is expected to lead the team out for the final Test despite revealing he played in Chennai with a broken rib he sustained during the one-day series.

"I've got a fractured rib, which I did the day before the Cuttack game and I think I did it again last weekend in Abu Dhabi, but I'm all right, there's no dramas, I can deal with it," he added.

"I don't like jabs so I'll play on painkillers and just deal with it."