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Andrew Strauss saw his England side crash to defeat in their first outing against Sri Lanka by 75 runs, extending the No1 ranked team's losing run to four Tests on Thursday in Galle.
Jonathan Trott's century aside, the batsmen have struggled in 2012 and so it proved as England lost six wickets for 31 runs and were dismissed for 264.
The England captain has been one of the guilty party with just one century in 48 Test innings and admits he is feeling the pressure.
"It is frustrating. I am hitting the ball really well, getting to 20 but not going on," he said.
"It is important that I do in the second game of the series."
Strauss, who has scored 32, 56, 26, 26 and now 27 in his last five innings, has gone 23 innings since his last Test century, against Australia in the first Ashes Test in Brisbane in November 2010.
That century ended a run of 24 innings without a ton, going back to the hundred against Australia at Lord's in July 2009.
As well as deficiencies with their cricket bats, England have struggled in the field, with Monty Panesar making two glaring dropped catches, most notably the second botch at mid-on, putting down Mahela Jayawardene.
"He is very disappointed and down with himself for dropping those catches," Strauss told BBC Test Match Special.
"But we are human - we all make mistakes. We are all behind him because we win together, and we lose together."
England former captain Michael Vaughan who now works as an analyst has weighed in and called for England batting changes.
"I don't think England can arrive in India with this top five," he said.
"Something needs freshening up, whether it is now or at the end of the summer. England can't afford to go in with players carrying baggage against spin."
Fellow ex-skipper and Test Match Special pundit Geoff Boycott also called on the coaching staff to make significant changes in the batting department.
"Even with average bowlers we'll have a problem," said Boycott. "I'd like to ask Graham Gooch and Andy Flower some questions, because this can't keep going on.
"Why are they trying to sweep off the stumps? It's fraught with danger. Just stay, occupy the crease. We can't win Tests with people giving away their wickets like that."
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