Moeen Ali is embracing his new role at the top of England's batting line-up.
The 28-year-old has been promoted from number eight, where he produced several lower-order contributions during the summer's Investec Ashes Series success over Australia, to open alongside Alastair Cook during the tour of the United Arab Emirates.
Having walked out to bat as a Test opener for the first time knowing Pakistan had racked up 523 for eight in Abu Dhabi, Moeen and Cook absorbed the scoreboard pressure by sharing an opening stand of 116.
The left-hander reined in his usually attacking instincts during his 131-ball knock of 35 but overall enjoyed the experience of getting England off to a solid start.
Moeen said: It was good. I was just doing a job for the team and trying to give us a good start. There was scoreboard pressure but I really enjoyed it and I felt I could play properly again. I felt like a batter.
I've got to score some runs before I can think of doing it for years. I just want to keep giving England a good start which is really important here.
It was a chance to bat on one of the flattest pitches I've ever batted on. It was different to batting at eight. I have to bat depending on the conditions.
I didn't mean to bat any more slowly than usual. They bowled straight and they had a man back for the spinner because they probably knew I like to attack them.
It's one of those things, the odd innings I'll play a little slower and then I'll be quicker than the other day. It was just nice to just leave and defend a few balls: I've been trying to hit every ball for four before.
England gave Pakistan a huge scare on a dramatic final day to the first Test, requiring just another 25 runs for victory when bad light brought a premature end to the match with another eight overs scheduled.
We've given Pakistan a bit of a nudge and caught them off-guard a bit in that last session, Moeen said.
It's given us confidence for the rest of the series. I think they're a bit more aware now and they know we have a good chance of winning the series.
Debutant leg-spinner Adil Rashid, a good friend of Moeen, was the catalyst for England's charge on the last day, helping to skittle Pakistan for 173 with figures of 5-64.
The Yorkshireman had failed to take a wicket in 34 first-innings overs, but Moeen was not surprised by his fellow tweaker's riposte.
Very happy for him, he said. He took a bit of stick in the first innings but we felt he bowled well and there was nothing in it for him.
We kept telling him his wickets would come. He's got so much talent and if his confidence is high also that's great. I didn't really have a chat with him.
We just went out for some food like we do and talked about how we were going to bowl in the second innings.
It was a really tough pitch to bowl on and they attacked him. He felt it was coming out well so I just told him the wickets would come. He's not someone who gets down.
England have now arrived in Dubai ahead of Thursday's second Test, where the pitch is set to offer more pace and turn, and Moeen is ready for the different challenges posed.
Batting will be tougher here than it was in Abu Dhabi but we've got some very good players of spin and I think Rooty (Joe Root) is the best player of spin in the world so we will go into the game with a lot of confidence, he added.
I think it will be good for me and Rash. I think they will come at us in a different way after what happened on the last afternoon.
There was a bit of pressure on them then and after Younus Khan was out we felt we had a chance. I was a bit surprised when Misbah came at me but it was great to get him because he's a good player of spin.
The latest Mark Wood video diary is due out today. Take a look back at the Mark Wood Video Diaries 1 and 2 - 'From the Horse's Mouth' with insights into England and Wood's preparations ahead of the first Test.