Durban: Indian skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni today blamed losing too many wickets in the morning session and some poor umpiring decisions for their 10-wicket defeat in the second Test against South Africa but applauded the way his team played in the series.
The opening session was indeed vital and India got off to the worst start possible when Dale Steyn got key batsman Virat Kohli in the very first ball of the day. But the delivery had come off his shoulders and he was given out wrongly, bringing the question of DRS back into focus.
"In the morning session today, we lost too many wickets. There were a few decisions that didn't go our way and then there were a couple deliveries that were good. At the same time, we also had soft dismissals which we couldn't afford given where the game was positioned at that time," Dhoni said at the post-match press conference.
"There were a couple of sessions in both Tests where we played badly and that had an impact on both matches. Even in the last Test we were in position of bother in the last session on day five.
"In this Test we started off well, but in just one session we were off-target. So as these young players play more Tests and gain experience they will learn to capitalize on moments. For example, when opposition bowlers are tired, that's when you get free Test runs. Overall, fantastic performance but we could have done better," he added, rating his team through the series.
South Africa clinches series 1-0 after Indian batting collapse
Asked if DRS should come into play, considering the decisions that went against India, Dhoni did still not seem convinced on the reliability of the technology.
"There were few teams that were big time supporters of DRS previously, now they are against DRS. When it goes your way, it is good, but when it doesn’t it's not good. There will be a few human errors in the game. If there are no human errors then batsmen won’t get out and bowlers will keep bowling in one area. It is part and parcel of this game, as long as they are not blunders."
"I don't want a security guard that will protect me during the day and leave me from 9pm to 9am to guard myself. I want 24 hours security," he added, joking about the complex DRS situation.Dhoni also defended India's strategy of not taking the new ball until the umpires forced them to after 146 overs.
"It was Christmas time, but I am not Santa to give them free runs," said Dhoni. "It was about strategy. If we took the new ball, it would not swing. Who will bowl 25 overs then to get reverse swing? Also, Jadeja would not have been effective with the new ball. From the moment we started bowling on this pitch, we knew reverse swing was our only option."
"When Kallis came to bat, they needed a big partnership. He countered our 3 fast bowlers and 1 spin bowling attack and played a fantastic innings," Dhoni added.
For India, the stand-out performers in this Test were Ravindra Jadeja and Ajinkya Rahane, both playing their first overseas Test series and Dhoni praised them.
While Jadeja took his best Test figures of 6-138 in the first innings, Rahane came good with two half-centuries in two innings, with a personal best of 96 in the second effort.
"Jadeja took wickets and at the same time he kept one end tight. It meant that I could keep my fast bowlers fresh and rotate them, attacking from one end. This is the best option for us, because we can’t play two spinners overseas until we find a fast-bowling all-rounder," opined the Indian skipper.
"Rahane batted really well, given the amount of time he has spent on the bench. He has worked hard on his fitness, his technique and approach to the game and he has grasped his chance when it came by," he added.
While South Africa managed to reverse their trend here, finally wining in Durban after a string of four losses on the run, India, despite the defeat, can return home with their heads held high, according to Dhoni.
"We have had plenty of positives from this series. The batting is looking good and the bowlers took twenty wickets in helpful conditions in Johannesburg. They will get better by playing more Tests and getting more exposure.
"The bowlers need to learn how to get wickets on dry wickets overseas. Overall, we have a 15-17 member squad that is looking good. We have got fantastic ingredients. We didn’t cook so well in this match, so going ahead, we need to cook the right recipe," Dhoni signed off.
Wanted to win for "irreplaceable" Kallis: Smith
Wanted to win for "irreplaceable" Kallis: Smith
Durban: South Africa captain Graeme Smith said that the series-clinching win over India in the second and final Test here was a fitting tribute to "irreplaceable" team-mate Jacques Kallis who bid farewell to Test cricket here today.
"We wanted to win it for Jacques. Ultimately, we wanted to make sure that his farewell is a fitting tribute to him. The pitch made it a little difficult, and certainly we had to work hard, considering that we lost so much time in the Test," Smith said at the press conference after South Africa beat India by 10-wickets on the fifth and final day to clinch the two-match series 1-0.
"India too played well on a good day one wicket – they were 180-odd for one. The way we turned it around from that point is a huge achievement for us. The kind of performance the team has put together over a period of time, and conducted itself tell a lot and does not require me to tell anything more," he said.
Smith said his team will never be able find a replacement for Kallis.
"I think we are never going to replace Jacques. He's worth more than 13,000 runs, nearly 300 wickets and 200 catches. He's a top class personality and the experience he brings to the side is irreplaceable. The way forward is to get tactically smart in the next Test match," said the Protea captain.
"AB (de Villiers) offers us an all-rounder's option, keeping wickets. So it's an opportunity to look at an extra batter or bowler depending on conditions, and those decisions we can make going forward.
"But I think anyone who gets picked up for the next Test shouldn't feel the pressure, and it's an opportunity for someone else to start a career. Kallis' career is huge, and it's important that the next guy gets a fresh start," he added, shedding light on South Africa's future plans.
Kallis was central to today's victory. He scored 115 runs in the first innings, notching his 45th Test ton in his final match. Then Robin Peterson took four wickets in the Indian second innings and the visitors collapsed on the final day.
"Jacques has been so consistent in his career. The kind of performances he put, often when the team needed it the most, like the hundred he made here, consolidating the innings and the guys batted around him. His knock gave us a total from where could get a move on. But credit to him to keep all those emotions in his last Test, playing an innings like that," Smith said.
"Our spinners have faced challenging times. It's nice to see them bouncing back and Robbie played superbly with the bat yesterday. He certainly brings a good balance to the team, and I think the four wickets have been hugely rewarding for him. Without those four wickets, we would not have come close to winning this Test, and the contribution from our spinner has been fantastic," he added.
Even so, all talk was only about Kallis and his retirement.
"I knew about it in the last match. He came to me in Durban along with his manager and said it was the last Test match, and in his humble way he wanted to keep to low key and in many ways he would have preferred it if no one would have known it, and he would have finished it that way. But I think in the end, the kind of respected figure Jacques is, it has been handled the right way," said Smith.
"We managed to win it as a team and perform well, which I think he too would have appreciated. I think he never would have wanted to get in the way of our performance. In the end, it was fitting that we won the Test match and for him the hundred of course, but winning the Test is the highlight of the last five days," he said.
