Cricket returns to centre stage in India after the Mumbai attacks as Kevin Pietersen's England buckle up for the two-Test series starting here Thursday. The Tests were in grave doubt when England abandoned the seven-match one-day series and returned home last month following the terror attacks in India's financial capital. But security checks and a shift in venues -- Ahmedabad was due to host the first Test and Mumbai the second -- convinced the England and Wales Cricket Board to send the team back to India after much debate. Pietersen now wants his under-prepared squad to focus on the contest ahead against a team buoyed by their 2-0 triumphs against world champions Australia in October-November and their dominance of the one-dayers against the tourists. English team could get only two days preparing for the test and the home team would have an upper hand in this respect also. English team's opening batsman Alastair Cook said that the Indian tour was not only a gamely, but also a challenge mentally. Both the teams Wednesday morning practiced at the Chidambaram stadium. Experts were of the opinion that Chidambaram stadium wicket bounces but at the same time quite batting friendly, albeit the wicket takes more turn on the last two days of the test.