Humiliated at home for the second straight time in less than a month, India skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni blamed his batsmen and termed their performance "disappointing", but added that the team needs to access the situation with a cool-headed approach.
Humiliated at home for the second straight time in less than a month, India skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni today blamed his batsmen and termed their performance "disappointing", but added that the team needs to access the situation with a cool-headed approach.
An insipid India slumped to yet another series defeat with a pathetic display as arch-rivals Pakistan spanked the hosts by 85 runs in the second cricket one-dayer to take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series here today.
"It was a very good effort by bowlers to pull them back and restrict them to 250. As a unit they have done well. In India, if you bowl first and restrict your opposition to 250, it's a good effort.
"But again our batting was disappointing. It's important to have wickets in hand in the end. If you have wickets in hand, it's possible to score 80-odd runs in the last 10 overs," Dhoni said.
"It's very important to keep rotating and not give away wickets. There will be phases that you have to see through but we could not cross that period. We lost five-six wickets and we were not really into the game. It seemed 250 was a big score from then on," he added.
Chasing 251 for victory, India were all out for 165, but Dhoni was a bit defensive when it came to the whole team.
"It's tough to come and give proper explanations. You just cant turn up and blame the players. At the end, we are a team and we lose as a team. As a unit you've to bear the loss and still keep moving forward. It's a challenge only one person can come, and I'm representing them. As I said last time, I would love to be the punching bag.
"Everybody knows it's disappointing. When you are going through transition, you want your senior players to perform and groom the juniors."
Dhoni said they need somebody to take up responsibility in batting. "Once two-three wickets start falling, you need someone to soak up the pressure and consolidate the innings.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}