Dhoni blames batsmen for T20 loss
Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni blamed an ordinary display by his batsmen for the hosts' six-wicket defeat at the hands of England in the lone Twenty20 International here.
- Press Trust of India
- Updated: October 30, 2011 10:24 AM IST
Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni blamed an ordinary display by his batsmen for the hosts' six-wicket defeat at the hands of England in the lone Twenty20 International here.
Opting to bat, India struggled for a good partnership in the middle as the 121-run victory target was easily achieved by England with eight balls to spare last night. Dhoni said they were always short on runs despite playing with eight batsmen. "We were short of runs. We were playing with eight batsmen. We always knew that wicket would be on a slow side.
It was important for batsmen to continue till end. We did not get off to a good start. "If you see the comparison between the two sides, the big difference was the four-wicket and the eight-wicket fall. So, their we lost the game," said Dhoni at the post-match press conference.
India were drubbed in England this summer as they were whitewashed in all three formats of the game but Dhoni said they were never short on confidence something that helped them bounce back.
"We did not completely need to revamp the conditions. Even when we lost the series in England we were in a positive frame of mind. If you know what went wrong, it becomes a bit easy to focus on those areas and improve as a team.
"I think the gap we got in the middle, the individuals got some time to work on those areas. If you see, the fast bowlers did a good job for India. Also the spinners were brilliant. It was like not down and out. The mood was always good in the camp. That helped us bounce back," the skipper added.
With an eye on India's tour to Australia late this year, the selectors have picked a relatively young side for the three-Test series against the West Indies at home starting next month. Dhoni said it would be a challenge for the youngsters.
"Test cricket is a bit different. You need to spend time in the middle. It's a bit difficult that requires slightly different temperament. A bit different to shorter version. The red ball spins a bit more, bowlers get reverse swing. It's a completely different challenge. Experience is very important. You will see the transition as they play more and more cricket they improve."
Dhoni also rubbished reports that he wanted to be rested for the West Indies series. "I've never answered all these questions."