Nottingham, Aug 2: India lost their second consecutive Test match against England, this time by 319 runs and with a day to spare, seriously compromising their No. 1 position in Tests. The Indian skipper was his usual pragmatic self as he spoke to the media and analysed India’s poor run in the series so far.
Excerpts from Dhoni’s media interaction:
On having only three bowlers available at key junctures in both matches
It is very difficult. More often than not we play with four bowlers. It gets slightly difficult if we are missing one of the frontline bowlers. In the last Test match we missed Zaheer Khan [and] it becomes a bit difficult, especially because you need a seamer in situations like these; and in this game it was Harbhajan Singh. Once you lose a bowler [it becomes tough] [and] the time when you need that particular kind of bowler, it becomes tough to manoeuvre with three bowlers. The part-timers are bowling [and] the conditions over here don’t really suit the part-times to bowl very effectively. They may get you the odd wicket but at the same time they will prove very costly. In both the games that was also one of the main reasons the opposition was able to score maybe 40 or 50 runs more.
On the openers not being able to get enough starts and on Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir’s availability for the next match
Gambhir is sure for the next Test match. Viru will land in England, I don’t know when, but hopefully he will be here before the next practice game which means he will get some time to spend [acclimatising] before the next Test match.
On Harbhajan Singh’s fitness concerns
I can’t really say what really it was but a muscle in the stomach was preventing him from bowling.
On whether India should ask for reinforcements given the form of players and injury concerns
As of now it wouldn’t have been a bad idea because in 2011, we have played close to six odd games and we have bowled 900 overs. That is a lot of overs and if you see the Test match players, especially the bowlers, more often than not it is the same bowler who features in the eleven. It has been really difficult for them because 900 odd overs is a lot of overs and once you face a situation where you have to push yourself slightly more than needed, it may get difficult for you, mentally or physically [or both] at the same time. They are doing the best they could. They are getting us wickets and hopefully the batting order will click and be able to put runs on the board.
On the big challenge ahead after so much success in the past
It’s all about challenges. [In] international cricket, nothing comes easy. We have won quite a few tournaments, quite a few series and have done really well against strong oppositions. But that doesn’t really give you the guarantee that you will always do well. You will have to be at your best. It doesn’t really matter which opposition you are playing. This [situation in England] is a fair example where you can say that we are not at our best right now. Whatever the reasons maybe, whether it is the injuries or the form of the middle or lower-middle order, it’s tough out here and that’s what you want to face when you are playing at the international level. You don’t want to just go through the motions. The coming two or three weeks will be really tough and we are really looking forward to it as a team.
