Kevin Pietersen has claimed that England securing victory over India on Monday means that he now considers his 186 to be the best knock of his Test career.

Pietersen's century helped the tourists build a first-innings lead in Mumbai, before Monty Panesar and Graeme Swann starred the ball to set up a thumping England win.

The hundred was Pietersen's 22nd in Test cricket, an English record equalled only by captain Alastair Cook, and he believes that it was given greater significance by the 10-wicket triumph.

Asked where the innings ranked in the context of his career, Pietersen said: "Now that we've won, probably at the top.

"Yesterday I said we needed to win the match and Test hundreds feel a lot better when you win."

The 32-year-old has represented England 90 times in Test cricket since debuting in 2005.