2nd T20I: We didn't address shortcomings, says MS Dhoni

Coming down hard on his batsmen after a listless showing, Indian skipper said they did not address their shortcomings and lost wickets in pairs as the team was skittled out for 92 against South Africa

Cuttack: Coming down hard on his batsmen after a listless showing, Indian skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni today said they did not address their shortcomings and lost wickets in pairs as the team was skittled out for 92 against South Africa in the second T20 cricket match here.


MS Dhoni. Pic/AFP

Put into bat, India, who saw two crucial run outs, could only survive 17.2 overs as they recorded their second lowest T20 score after their 74 against Australia in 2008. The hosts went down by 6 wickets to lose the three-match series.

"I don't think we played good cricket. In the batting department, we just wanted to address run-outs and losing wickets in pairs. We didn't improve on that. Overall, we didn't bat well at all. It's important to address what went wrong. You get performances like these, what's important is how you bounce back," Dhoni said after the match.

"The calling needs to improve. At times you want to take a chance against the fielder. Sometimes you have to keep the dew factor in mind, because the ball will go to the fielder quicker. You can convert 1.8 runs or 1.9 runs into 2, but not 1.75 or 1.7.

The limited-overs captain though refused to comment on the bowlers as they had few runs to play with. "There was dew, but it's slightly difficult to say about the bowling combination. There was not enough runs on the board. One thing is for sure, our spinners are bowling well, and that has been our strength. In the coming games, it is important to give some of the other guys a chance, we have some time before the World T20.

"Amit (Mishra) is bowling really well, but looking at their batsmen, the incoming delivery is something the left-handers are good at, that's why we went with two offspinners," he said. South African skipper Faf du Plessis though had everything to say about his bowlers, who were ably led by Albie Morkel (3-12).

"Look, it's an easy job to be a captain when your bowlers perform like that. I reckon it's the best bowling performance we have had as a T20 team. Albie, it's his 50th game, we are really proud of him for playing that many games, he was really clever with his lines.

I thought there was great variety in those first six overs. Imran (Tahir), I'm not sure he's ever bowled in the first six. My thinking was just to try and get wickets. You never try and be too predictable as a bowling unit. KG (Rabada) bowled four overs on the trot. He bowled really fast," said Faf.

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