Mahendra Singh Dhoni says England used the slower ball very well

Indian skipper, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, felt dejected after the six-wicket loss to England in the solitary Twenty20 match played at the Eden Gardens, Kolkata on Saturday, October 29, 2011.

However, the wicket-keeper batsman showed great sportsmanship and acknowledged his opposition’s bowling brigade.

Praising English bowler’s adaptability on the slow pitch, Dhoni said, “The pitch was very slow, so it was very difficult. England used the slower ball very well.”

Dhoni did not hold himself back in pointing out the mistakes that caused India’s defeat. The wicket-keeper believes that his side was short on runs and should have scored more, so as to give his bowlers a chance to have a go at English batsmen.

Admitting the batting failure, Dhoni said, “We didn't get off to a good start. It was the sort of wicket where you'd aim for 150 odd runs. We were 15 runs short.”

Dhoni won the toss and much to surprise of many, decided to bat on a wicket that seemed a bit slow. A rarity in his illustrious career, the flamboyant cricketer made a judgmental mistake, as English bowlers confined India to 120 runs.

Chasing such a meagre total, England got home easily, losing just four wickets in the process. Kevin Pietersen, the right-hand batsman, played a dazzling innings of 53 runs that included five fours and three massive sixes. The best part about KP’s innings was that the batsman played with a broken thumb.

Pietersen was pleased that his side managed to sneak in a win on India’s tour, after suffering a 5-0 whitewash in the One Day International (ODI) series. The belligerent batsman confessed that English batsmen were below power in the series. However, KP declared that the Poms tried their level best but Indians simply outplayed them in ODI’s.

Expecting to improve England’s track record in the sub-continent, Pietersen said, “A lot of us underperformed. But believe me, we tried our hardest. We've got a lot of work to do technique-wise here in the subcontinent. But we'll continue to give our best and try to improve. We've tried really hard on this trip, although we came unstuck in the one-dayers.”

English team will enjoy a lay-off for a couple of months before embarking on a series against Pakistan in January 2012. On the other hand, the Indian players have a few days off and will be back in action against West Indies, who’ll be touring the Men in Blue in November, 2011.