We could’ve scored 10 more runs: Dhoni
First Published : 23 Dec 2012, 03:26
Last Modified : 23 Dec 2012, 03:26
Although they fought tooth and nail to keep themselves in the game, India lost to England in the second T20I in a last-ball finish at the Wankhede Stadium. After winning the first match chasing, India were not able to defend 177 in the second game here.
Speaking about the lapses in the field and the bowling performances, Indian skipper MS Dhoni told the media, “If you see the fielding, it was only one individual which the ball was following today it feel it felt the nerve. Apart from that I think the dropped catch [of Alex Hales], it was a good try but it didn’t end up getting the wicket. But apart from that I thought the fielding was good, not really bad so I won’t blame the fielding. I think the way we started the bowling we gave away too many runs bowling short which is generally the case [when] bowlers see a lively wicket or a bit of bounce they tend to bowl short. It was wicket where you needed to bowl slightly up [so] then it is slightly difficult for the batsmen to score. The start was not really great for us but the spinners brought us back into the game. Yuvraj Singh again was brilliant but unfortunately we couldn’t finish it off.”
In the thrilling last over, Dinda had backed off and not bowled the last ball in the first instance after conceding six runs off the first five with England needing three off the last ball. Asked about what transpired at the time, Dhoni explained, “He was awkward as to what the batsman is doing so he just backed off.”
When the bowler bowled the last ball after much discussion, England captain Eoin Morgan hit it for a six to take his team over the line. Discussing the situation, the Indian captain said, “In cricket you don’t expect, because when you are expecting you get disappointed. What was important was you back the bowler to execute because he wants to execute and [then] just accept the result. You have to accept that it was a good shot. [But] the bowler failed to execute what he wanted to bowl. Eoin Morgan batted really well.”
Speaking about the performances of Ashoke Dinda and Parvinder Awana who came into the team on the basis of their good display in the domestic circuit, Dhoni said, “I think it is wrong and difficult to judge a player depending on his performance in a T20 game or a couple of T20 games. We have seen that Dinda has bowled well in some of the games that he has played. He can bowl the Yorkers really well. But in the condition right now [in this match] it was difficult to execute the Yorker with the dew there and the ball getting wet, so there was more chances of the bowler not being able to execute the Yorker. Apart from that they are someone who can bowl quick. Dinda is good fielder also.”
“It is important to back these young bowlers and not to forget we have got injuries or niggles to most of our first line fast bowlers so we need to back the bowlers, especially the fast bowlers who can bowl quick.”
Asked how he handles the bowlers after such situations, the Indian skipper elaborated that, “It is important to judge an individual on what he actually is [and deal with him accordingly]. In first few games everybody feels the pressure and if it is a bowler they feel it more because cricket is a batsman’s game. If you lose defending people talk about bowlers not bowling well and while chasing if you don’t chase down the target they say the bowlers conceded 10 runs too many. So it is a bit unfair on them. Overall I think they will improve.”
Talking about the performance of the team and whether their grit to take the game to the last ball gives him confidence going into the series against Pakistan, Dhoni said, “These are bowlers who have done well and these are fast bowlers who can bowl quick. I feel it is important especially at this time of the year to have bowlers who can bowl a bit quick so that they can push the batsman onto the back foot. The spinners also bowled well. It was tough for them to execute once the ball gets wet. Overall I was happy with their performance. We could have scored maybe 10 more runs. I am saying that because we were in a position to do that [but] the opposition at times will bowl good overs to you and they did well in the last couple of overs where we were not able to put too many runs on the board.”
Asked about what it means to play against Pakistan, the Indian skipper said, “Whether you play England, Australia or Pakistan or any other series it is a big series. It is all the same and that’s how we look at it. We don’t look into who we are playing because that can only increase the pressure. So we keep it simple, whoever the opposition is we look at the format and try to execute our plan.”
