Not a perfect start to the series: Dhoni
New Delhi: Despite a five-wicket win on the fourth day, India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni said the victory against the West Indies could have been more satisfying had his batsmen shown more application in the first innings.
“If we had the first innings lead it would have been a perfect start to the series. We did not do well in the first innings. If our batsmen see how they were out in the first innings they would think that they should not have been out and done much better. Considering the difficult pitch, a bit of application from the batsmen should have helped,” Dhoni said at the post-match press conference.
Dhoni said the Ferozeshah Kotla pitch was not a bad one but a surface “difficult in its own way”.
“Venue-wise, historically Kotla has been a difficult track but I don’t think it was a bad wicket. It’s a typical Kotla track which favours spin more. It’s slow and low and difficult to score. It’s difficult in its own way. I hope Kolkata will be different,” he said.
“There was nothing much for the batsmen as well as bowlers. Batsmen will have to work hard for runs while bowlers will have to be patient and bowl at right areas consistently. It’s different from earlier tracks in only way that there was a bit of grass. On the third day you can see grass roots and it showed that the track would not break down,” said Dhoni.
Dhoni praised his young bowlers Pragyan Ojha and Ravichandran Ashwin for their good show in the match.
“Despite the difficult pitch, the bowlers took their opportunities. Pragyan Ojha did well and Ravichandran Ashwin got nine wickets on his debut. Umesh Yadav improved in the second innings though he has a tendency to bowl a fraction of short deliveries. He will learn as he plays more games.
“Ashwin won match of match in his debut. He had the variations and flighted the ball well. He used his carrom ball and top-spinners well.
“Sehwag and Gambhir gave a good start in the first innings and did the same in the second innings. The middle order played well in the second innings and we won,” he said.
Asked another debutant Umesh Yadav, Dhoni said, “He clocked above 135km per hour consistently and its good to have a bowler of that speed. He will learn more as he plays more international cricket.”
Dhoni said he did not know what to expect from the two debutants.
“We know what we can expect from Ojha and Ishant but not about Ashwin and Umesh Yadav. So it was a bit difficult,” said Dhoni when asked about playing without strike bowler Zaheer Khan and Harbhajan Singh.
Asked about chances of Harbhajan coming back now that Ojha and Ashwin are doing well, Dhoni said, “Let’s see. Ojha did well and Ashwin won man of match in his debut match.”
New Delhi: Despite a five-wicket win on the fourth day, India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni said the victory against the West Indies could have been more satisfying had his batsmen shown more application in the first innings. “If we had the first innings lead it would have been a perfect start to...
New Delhi: Despite a five-wicket win on the fourth day, India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni said the victory against the West Indies could have been more satisfying had his batsmen shown more application in the first innings.
“If we had the first innings lead it would have been a perfect start to the series. We did not do well in the first innings. If our batsmen see how they were out in the first innings they would think that they should not have been out and done much better. Considering the difficult pitch, a bit of application from the batsmen should have helped,” Dhoni said at the post-match press conference.
Dhoni said the Ferozeshah Kotla pitch was not a bad one but a surface “difficult in its own way”.
“Venue-wise, historically Kotla has been a difficult track but I don’t think it was a bad wicket. It’s a typical Kotla track which favours spin more. It’s slow and low and difficult to score. It’s difficult in its own way. I hope Kolkata will be different,” he said.
“There was nothing much for the batsmen as well as bowlers. Batsmen will have to work hard for runs while bowlers will have to be patient and bowl at right areas consistently. It’s different from earlier tracks in only way that there was a bit of grass. On the third day you can see grass roots and it showed that the track would not break down,” said Dhoni.
Dhoni praised his young bowlers Pragyan Ojha and Ravichandran Ashwin for their good show in the match.
“Despite the difficult pitch, the bowlers took their opportunities. Pragyan Ojha did well and Ravichandran Ashwin got nine wickets on his debut. Umesh Yadav improved in the second innings though he has a tendency to bowl a fraction of short deliveries. He will learn as he plays more games.
“Ashwin won match of match in his debut. He had the variations and flighted the ball well. He used his carrom ball and top-spinners well.
“Sehwag and Gambhir gave a good start in the first innings and did the same in the second innings. The middle order played well in the second innings and we won,” he said.
Asked another debutant Umesh Yadav, Dhoni said, “He clocked above 135km per hour consistently and its good to have a bowler of that speed. He will learn more as he plays more international cricket.”
Dhoni said he did not know what to expect from the two debutants.
“We know what we can expect from Ojha and Ishant but not about Ashwin and Umesh Yadav. So it was a bit difficult,” said Dhoni when asked about playing without strike bowler Zaheer Khan and Harbhajan Singh.
Asked about chances of Harbhajan coming back now that Ojha and Ashwin are doing well, Dhoni said, “Let’s see. Ojha did well and Ashwin won man of match in his debut match.”
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