ID :
37230
Thu, 12/25/2008 - 06:47
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Shortlink :
http://m.oananews.org//node/37230
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Three-match Test series would have been better: Dhoni
Mohali, Dec 23 (PTI) England never really had a chance of
coming back into the Test series after losing the first match
as the hosts would definitely take home advantage, according
to Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni who reckoned that a
three-match series would have been more ideal.
"It would have been good to have a three-match series,"
Dhoni told reporters after the second and final match ended in
a draw here Tuesday.
"Their chance of coming back into the series was really
low. In a two-match series, if you are a visiting side and
have lost the first match, it’s always difficult to make a
comeback. You always know that leading 1-0, the local
team would prepare wicket that suits them and take home
advantage," Dhoni explained.
"I think three Tests would have been ideal and five bit
too long," he said.
His opposite number Kevin Pietersen also felt a three
match series would have been more appropriate even though he
refused to whine.
"Three is ideal...But this is the schedule we got and had
to deal with. We needed to win at least one to tie the series
but unfortunately things didn’t go our way,’ Pietersen rued.
Dhoni felt it was overall a good series, which was
intensely fought between two quality sides.
"I think we had a really good series. The first Test went
into the last day and was quite interesting. In this Test
also, when we lost a few top order wickets quickly (in the
second innings), things became quite interesting. I think the
English bowlers bowled really well and we had one good
series," Dhoni said.
Asked if England’s resolute show in the second Test
surprised him, Dhoni said, "Not really. I said before the
start of the series that they are a good bowling side. If
someone like (Andrew) Flintoff comes at number seven, you have
five specialist bowlers in your side.
"Freddie is not just an all-rounder, he’s often better
than your main fast bowler. He provides balance in the side. I
never doubted their batting either. Pietersen played really
well here and Freddie also chipped in."
On whether occupying the number two spot in ICC Test
rankings would keep the team under pressure, Dhoni said
that would not be the case.
"Not really. We wanted to be the number two team and we
want to play good cricket. We have plans and their execution
has been brilliant so far. We want to play good cricket and
that would take care of the rankings. Ranking is not really
our focus," he said.
Dhoni was particularly happy with Yuvraj Singh’s
performance and felt the left-hander needed to remain himself
and not bother about the fact that he was stepping in the
shoes of the retired former captain Sourav Ganguly.
"He is very talented and it’s not about filling in the
place left vacant by Sourav. We don’t want him to be someone’s
replacement, all we want him to be is Yuvraj Singh. We just
need him to bat the way he does. He is an aggressive player
and the couple of innings he played would give him a lot of
confidence," Dhoni said.
Asked if he felt allowing Yuvraj play 14-15 innings
without bothering about a berth in the side would help him
cement his place, Dhoni said, "He’ll cement his place well
before that."
When told about Pietersen’s pie-chucker comment about
Yuvraj, Dhoni quipped, "It’s lovely to have a pie-chucker who
has got him out five times. I would love to have some more
such pie-chuckers."
Dhoni was effusive in his praise of Player of the Series
Zaheer Khan and the opening pair of Gautam Gambhir and
Virender Sehwag.
"Zaheer has been excellent throughout the series. He is
clear in his thoughts and has transformed himself into a
thinking cricketer. He has plans for every batsman and if
it doesn’t click, he always has plan B. He has been brilliant
over the last couple of years."
"On the other hand, Viru and Gauti give us the kind of
starts which lays the platform for a big score. They
complement each other, their shot selection is good and they
run really well between the wicket," Dhoni said.
Dhoni also said Rahul Dravid’s return to form augured
well for the team.
"We tour New Zealand next year where the ball would do
quite a bit. Conditions there are ideal for the seamers and so
it’s good to have Rahul back among the runs. He can direct us
what we need to do there," Dhoni explained.
Finally asked what prompted him to bowl the last
over of the day, Dhoni said, "They (teammates) pushed me to
bowl." PTI AY
NIK
NNNN
coming back into the Test series after losing the first match
as the hosts would definitely take home advantage, according
to Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni who reckoned that a
three-match series would have been more ideal.
"It would have been good to have a three-match series,"
Dhoni told reporters after the second and final match ended in
a draw here Tuesday.
"Their chance of coming back into the series was really
low. In a two-match series, if you are a visiting side and
have lost the first match, it’s always difficult to make a
comeback. You always know that leading 1-0, the local
team would prepare wicket that suits them and take home
advantage," Dhoni explained.
"I think three Tests would have been ideal and five bit
too long," he said.
His opposite number Kevin Pietersen also felt a three
match series would have been more appropriate even though he
refused to whine.
"Three is ideal...But this is the schedule we got and had
to deal with. We needed to win at least one to tie the series
but unfortunately things didn’t go our way,’ Pietersen rued.
Dhoni felt it was overall a good series, which was
intensely fought between two quality sides.
"I think we had a really good series. The first Test went
into the last day and was quite interesting. In this Test
also, when we lost a few top order wickets quickly (in the
second innings), things became quite interesting. I think the
English bowlers bowled really well and we had one good
series," Dhoni said.
Asked if England’s resolute show in the second Test
surprised him, Dhoni said, "Not really. I said before the
start of the series that they are a good bowling side. If
someone like (Andrew) Flintoff comes at number seven, you have
five specialist bowlers in your side.
"Freddie is not just an all-rounder, he’s often better
than your main fast bowler. He provides balance in the side. I
never doubted their batting either. Pietersen played really
well here and Freddie also chipped in."
On whether occupying the number two spot in ICC Test
rankings would keep the team under pressure, Dhoni said
that would not be the case.
"Not really. We wanted to be the number two team and we
want to play good cricket. We have plans and their execution
has been brilliant so far. We want to play good cricket and
that would take care of the rankings. Ranking is not really
our focus," he said.
Dhoni was particularly happy with Yuvraj Singh’s
performance and felt the left-hander needed to remain himself
and not bother about the fact that he was stepping in the
shoes of the retired former captain Sourav Ganguly.
"He is very talented and it’s not about filling in the
place left vacant by Sourav. We don’t want him to be someone’s
replacement, all we want him to be is Yuvraj Singh. We just
need him to bat the way he does. He is an aggressive player
and the couple of innings he played would give him a lot of
confidence," Dhoni said.
Asked if he felt allowing Yuvraj play 14-15 innings
without bothering about a berth in the side would help him
cement his place, Dhoni said, "He’ll cement his place well
before that."
When told about Pietersen’s pie-chucker comment about
Yuvraj, Dhoni quipped, "It’s lovely to have a pie-chucker who
has got him out five times. I would love to have some more
such pie-chuckers."
Dhoni was effusive in his praise of Player of the Series
Zaheer Khan and the opening pair of Gautam Gambhir and
Virender Sehwag.
"Zaheer has been excellent throughout the series. He is
clear in his thoughts and has transformed himself into a
thinking cricketer. He has plans for every batsman and if
it doesn’t click, he always has plan B. He has been brilliant
over the last couple of years."
"On the other hand, Viru and Gauti give us the kind of
starts which lays the platform for a big score. They
complement each other, their shot selection is good and they
run really well between the wicket," Dhoni said.
Dhoni also said Rahul Dravid’s return to form augured
well for the team.
"We tour New Zealand next year where the ball would do
quite a bit. Conditions there are ideal for the seamers and so
it’s good to have Rahul back among the runs. He can direct us
what we need to do there," Dhoni explained.
Finally asked what prompted him to bowl the last
over of the day, Dhoni said, "They (teammates) pushed me to
bowl." PTI AY
NIK
NNNN
