"When we start a Test, it is important to be in a positive frame of mind," the assistant coach said here on Saturday. "It is crucial to be in a positive frame of mind. The start was crucial and we didn't get that. It is important to overcome the adversities. There are two basic strategies -- to be defensive or to be attacking. We were defensive in the first Test, we will come back strongly."

Acknowledging that the opening combination would be looked into, he added, "The options are open. We will go to Sydney and have a look at the wicket before deciding what to do. We have to see what is best for the team. We thought this combination was best suited for the first Test. We will have a relook at that aspect."

Rajput was asked what was holding Rahul Dravid back. "It is not a technical thing," the former Indian opener opined. "The problem is just in the mind. He is going through a lean patch. But he is a tremendous cricketer, he has been the wall of Indian cricket. He will bounce back, I am sure he will come back strongly soon."

Ruling out drastic changes to the team for the second Test, he went on, "I don't think there is any need for wholesale changes because you have lost the first Test. But we will try to improve our aggression on the field, our intensity and our approach," Rajput noted.

Rajput disagreed with suggestions that some of the younger players were intimidated by the Australians.

"If they were scared, they wouldn't have been picked in the team in the first place," he reasoned. "You have to give credit to the Australian bowlers, they hit the right areas. It's a matter of applying ourselves and making things happen. Self-belief is very important; when you believe in yourself, anything is possible."

Refusing to blame the schedule -- India had just one practice game, which was also badly hit by the weather -- Rajput said, "We were all aware of the schedule, it was drawn up almost one year back. As international cricketers, you have to adapt quickly to prevalent situations. We were prepared for it, we had to accept it."