Kolkata, Nov 17: India have taken an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series, beating West Indies by an innings and 15 runs in the second Test at the Eden Gardens. Addressing the media in the post-match press conference, Indian captain MS Dhoni lauded his bowlers and said that he was happy about his own batting form.
Excerpts:
On India’s plans for the third Test
We will try [to make it 3-0] but like I always say, it is difficult to make predictions in cricket. We will see what kind of wicket we get there. West Indies are a good team. Their bowling attack is good and like you saw in the second innings, it is not that their batsmen can’t score runs; they have talented batsmen. I am expecting the third Test match to be tough […] After the first Test there was improvement in the second Test, so hopefully in the third Test we will improve [even] more. We are not thinking about the result. We will try to do our best on the field.
On his own batting
It was a good wicket to bat on. From the pavilion end, when you bowl towards the other side, that was a bit two-paced. Throughout the Test match, more often than not the fast bowlers were bowling from this end – that was the main reason. After we got off to a good start and the way Rahul [Dravid] played along with [VVS] Laxman, it gave us an ideal position. We were in a [position] where [the] lower order comes in and tries to score runs at a brisk pace and initially I tried to play my big shots. It didn’t pay off so I said [to myself], let’s spend a bit more time, and once I was set we decided we needed to accelerate a bit. Later on, once their bowlers were tired and [Devendra] Bishoo was bowling a negative line around the wicket and you had [Marlon] Samuels bowling, we said, ‘Okay, this is the time we need to capitalise, get as many runs as possible because if we have to bat in the fourth innings, […] it won’t be as easy compared to how we were batting at that point of time.’ Overall I think it was a good innings for me. Hopefully it was good for the [other] batsmen.
On the playing eleven for the next match at Wankhede Stadium
It is not about experimentation. We’ll see what’s the best possible eleven that we need to feature and we will do that.
On India’s bowling attack
The whole bowling unit looks very balanced. The fast bowlers look very fresh which means if needed in a Test match, they can bowl a lot of overs; the same goes for the spinners. [Pragyan] Ojha has been playing a couple of formats. [In] Test matches he is in and out of the playing eleven [while] [Ravichandran] Ashwin is new to the Test format. All of them are fresh and raring to go. You have a bit more energy on the field and they back themselves which is very important in Test cricket. The last wicket [at Ferozshah Kotla] was somewhat in their favour, there was something in the wicket for them. This Test match I think it was tough for the spinners, especially [in] the second innings because there was not much turn for them so they had to rely on flight [and] variation a lot. I was happy with their performance. Umesh [Yadav] can bowl really quick but [we] will have to use him in the best possible manner [so that] we don’t overuse him and [expose him to injury]. We have a pool of fast bowlers who can bowl quick but it’s important at the same time to sustain them. It’s not only about bowling fast at the top level. You have to bowl in the right areas and create pressure.
On his wicketkeeping
As I say, I am more of a package then a specialist. I am neither an extraordinary batsman [nor] an extraordinary keeper. It’s all about doing things right. [It] doesn’t matter how you catch the ball [as long as] you catch the ball, especially the edges and the stumpings. Runs, it’s important [that] you score at [the right time]. It’s really good for the side [that I am scoring]. Overall I am very happy with the kind of compliments that I have got. It’s a constant process [and] you have to keep doing well, keep grooming the departments [of the game] and hopefully I will be a specialist one day.
