ENGLAND captain Andrew Strauss paid tribute to a string of superb individual performances after England hammered India by 319 runs to take a 2-0 lead in the four-Test npower series.

Stuart Broad, on his home ground at Trent Bridge, took a first-innings hat-trick en route to match figures of eight for 76 and added counter-attacking innings of 64 and 44 to take the man-of-the-match award.

But Tim Bresnan, in for the injured Chris Tremlett, took seven wickets and smashed 90 in the second innings and Ian Bell made the most of his run-out reprieve with a second innings of 159.

Strauss said: “To be 80 for six and 120 for eight you’re behind the eight-ball, but Broad and (Graeme) Swann have done that sort of stuff for us a few times before and it’s hard for captains to set fields for.

“Then also Stuart Broad with the second new ball to get us back in the game.

“I’m proud of what we did this week, we’ve played some great cricket and come back at important times.

“(Bresnan) was unlucky not to play in the first Test and he was outstanding with bat and ball in this Test.

“He keeps putting his credentials in place and makes the (selection) decisions harder and harder. It’s a good position to be in, guys keep putting their hands up and performing, and whoever misses out is going to be very unlucky.”

On Bell, he added: “It was an outstanding innings, to score so freely in tough conditions. He’s in the form of his life, he’s confident and his technique is outstanding.”

India skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s decision to recall the Warwickshire batsman after his controversial dismissal was applauded by the crowd, and Strauss said: “It was a very commendable decision, I think it was the right thing for the game but as captain they are difficult decisions to make.

“He set a great example to myself and other captains if we find ourselves in similar circumstances.”

Dhoni said of the Bell incident: “When we went back to the dressing room for tea, everything was OK but inside we were not feeling right about the incident.

“It’s not about the laws or the spirit of the game, you want to feel good about the day you have spent on the field.”

Reflecting on the game as a whole, he added: “We have to correct a few things.

“The bowlers were a bit tired, their batsmen played brave shots and it paid off well for them.

“The bowlers tried everything but it was that day where nothing went for us.

“The bowlers are doing a very good job but we need to put more runs on the board.”

Injury concerns prevail over seamer Zaheer Khan and opening batsmen Virender Sehwag, and Dhoni continued: “Zaheer is having a few deliveries, we don’t know exactly where we stand right now.

“Injuries happen and you have to manage with three bowlers, and all our part-timers are spinners.

“We’ll see how Sehwag goes in the practice game, I have no official word but hopefully he will come and give us the strength we need. We know what he is capable of.”

Broad said of his display: “It’s pleasing but it was a great team performance and we’re delight to go 2-0 up.

“The wickets were nice, they were hard to come by in the first half of the season.

“I’ve found a fuller length and it’s paid off, and I’ll look to do that in the next couple of Tests.

“But I think the 60 (runs) when we were in trouble was pleasing as well - a bit of fun with Swanny.

“We never need encouragement to have a bit of a slog, it was important we upped the scoring rate and showed that positive intent.”