Top order didn’t perform: MS
19 Aug 2014 5:08 AM IST
Dhoni also at the same time blamed lack of experience for India’s meek 1-3 surrender in the series, which concluded here on Sunday.
‘The top-order felt the pressure of not scoring, that’s what you have to do in Test cricket, absorb pressure. A bit more application from the batsmen and it would have been better,’ Dhoni said after India lost the fifth Test by an innings and 244 runs.
‘Right from the start, our batsmen never really performed, the lower order helped out. That camouflaged the performance of the top order, just scoring 150-60 runs will not be enough to defend against the home team,’ he added.
Asked about the English conditions, Dhoni said, ‘It’s demanding but the wickets were good, nice pace and bounce. In the overcast conditions the fast bowlers get swing and the English bowlers were very consistent.’
The Indian captain though hoped his young players will take their lessons from the series and play better when they come to England next time. ‘We’ve lost a lot of confidence over the five-Test series.
It is disappointing, there will be many experiences which the youngsters will learn - not too many have played Tests away from home and hopefully they can take that it into the future.’
Dhoni said there was nothing he could have done differently to make things better for his side. ‘We did everything we could have done. If we went in with Rohit (Sharma), the difficulty was who to leave out. Ajinkya Rahane had scored a hundred at Lord’s. Pujara bats at number three, Virat at four and then myself. Whatever we could have done, we tried,’ he said.
Dhoni said not having the experience of playing in England was a factor in his young side’s dismal show. ‘A five-Test series was very demanding, you could see with Bhuvneshwar, the effects on him but we couldn’t replace him. Our playing XI didn’t have many Tests, so we are lacking experience but until they play international cricket, they won’t get that. It’s important to play here, learn lessons and come back strong,’ he said.
England captain Alastair Cook was delighted with the turnaround in the series as they came back from Lord’s defeat to win three matches in a row. ‘It was an amazing performance, to win like we’ve won after what happened at Lord’s, the players, the staff can take an enormous amount of credit. All summer, before we won at Southampton, we played good cricket in patches and then let it go after an hour or so,’ he said.
‘To maintain pressure like we did in the last few games was impressive. When you score runs, with our bowling attack in these conditions, it’s hard for the opposition,’ Cook added. England batsman Joe Root, who scored a magnificent unbeaten 149, was adjudged Man of the Match. ‘It’s always nice to score runs and you want to score as many as you can, but to finish like we did today was really pleasing. We’ve had to show a lot of character since Lord’s and dig deep. I enjoy batting at five, it’s nice to score runs and win again. I think I got into a place where I was just looking to survive but I’m trying to put pressure on the bowlers again,’ Root said.
James Anderson was named England’s Man of the Series. Anderson took 25 wickets and he was nominated by India coach Duncan Fletcher. Bhuvneshwar Kumar, who took 19 wickets and scored three half-centuries, was India’s Man of the Series. He was nominated by England coach Peter Moores.
‘The top-order felt the pressure of not scoring, that’s what you have to do in Test cricket, absorb pressure. A bit more application from the batsmen and it would have been better,’ Dhoni said after India lost the fifth Test by an innings and 244 runs.
‘Right from the start, our batsmen never really performed, the lower order helped out. That camouflaged the performance of the top order, just scoring 150-60 runs will not be enough to defend against the home team,’ he added.
Asked about the English conditions, Dhoni said, ‘It’s demanding but the wickets were good, nice pace and bounce. In the overcast conditions the fast bowlers get swing and the English bowlers were very consistent.’
The Indian captain though hoped his young players will take their lessons from the series and play better when they come to England next time. ‘We’ve lost a lot of confidence over the five-Test series.
It is disappointing, there will be many experiences which the youngsters will learn - not too many have played Tests away from home and hopefully they can take that it into the future.’
Dhoni said there was nothing he could have done differently to make things better for his side. ‘We did everything we could have done. If we went in with Rohit (Sharma), the difficulty was who to leave out. Ajinkya Rahane had scored a hundred at Lord’s. Pujara bats at number three, Virat at four and then myself. Whatever we could have done, we tried,’ he said.
Dhoni said not having the experience of playing in England was a factor in his young side’s dismal show. ‘A five-Test series was very demanding, you could see with Bhuvneshwar, the effects on him but we couldn’t replace him. Our playing XI didn’t have many Tests, so we are lacking experience but until they play international cricket, they won’t get that. It’s important to play here, learn lessons and come back strong,’ he said.
England captain Alastair Cook was delighted with the turnaround in the series as they came back from Lord’s defeat to win three matches in a row. ‘It was an amazing performance, to win like we’ve won after what happened at Lord’s, the players, the staff can take an enormous amount of credit. All summer, before we won at Southampton, we played good cricket in patches and then let it go after an hour or so,’ he said.
‘To maintain pressure like we did in the last few games was impressive. When you score runs, with our bowling attack in these conditions, it’s hard for the opposition,’ Cook added. England batsman Joe Root, who scored a magnificent unbeaten 149, was adjudged Man of the Match. ‘It’s always nice to score runs and you want to score as many as you can, but to finish like we did today was really pleasing. We’ve had to show a lot of character since Lord’s and dig deep. I enjoy batting at five, it’s nice to score runs and win again. I think I got into a place where I was just looking to survive but I’m trying to put pressure on the bowlers again,’ Root said.
James Anderson was named England’s Man of the Series. Anderson took 25 wickets and he was nominated by India coach Duncan Fletcher. Bhuvneshwar Kumar, who took 19 wickets and scored three half-centuries, was India’s Man of the Series. He was nominated by England coach Peter Moores.
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