We bowled way too many extras: MS Dhoni
Oct 26, 2016 at 9:51 PM
The inexperienced Indian middle order crumbled like a pack of cards at Ranchi, as New Zealand levelled the five-match series with just one match to go. Needing a moderate target of 261 to win the series, India once again didn’t get off to a decent start, as Rohit Sharma’s poor run of form continued. The swashbuckling opener was dismissed caught behind for 11 as it was his fourth failure on the trot.
Ajinkya Rahane supported the chase with a decent half-century as he was generally fluent. Virat Kohli though was all set to play another special knock before he chased a wide delivery from Ish Sodhi only to get a faint edge through to the keeper. Wickets of Manish Pandey and Kedar Jadhav on consecutive deliveries pretty much ended India’s run chase.
Post the loss, Indian skipper MS Dhoni admitted that India bowled way too many extras with the ball, which proved to be fatal. “I think we gave too many extras and too many runs early on,” said Dhoni. “We could have done it still, with wickets in hand. It was good to see the lower order score runs, but wickets in hand would have been a good factor. I felt the wicket was best to bat in the afternoon and it kept getting slower. Older ball was not coming on. But with partnerships, this total could have been chased,” Dhoni said.
Backing the inexperienced players like Manish Pandey and Kedar Jadhav, Dhoni said that the two would only get better with time. “A few of them played big shots but they will play 10-15 games and learn the trade. Cricket has evolved; newer generation like to play the big shots. You cannot tell them not to because then they will get into a shell. They will learn that if you go over the in-field, you have chances of getting out. We will lose a few but they will learn,” said Dhoni.
The Indian skipper concluded by adding that India would have to be at their best in the decider. “With dew, you tend to bowl first because our spinners are not effective and we struggle to defend totals. But so far, dew hasn’t been a factor this series. We should have won in Delhi but it’s not about that. We have to be at our best in the decider, against New Zealand who are an experienced side.”