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India’s captain reveals battle with Ishant Sharma in ‘special victory’ India’s captain reveals battle with Ishant Sharma in ‘special victory’
(about 2 hours later)
A Test win at Lord’s was one of the few cricket highs that MS Dhoni had never experienced, and he celebrated with a wonderfully entertaining press conference in which he especially enjoyed himself at the expense of Ishant Sharma in particular, and fast bowlers in general. A Test win at Lord’s was one of the few cricket highs that MS Dhoni had never experienced and he celebrated with an entertaining press conference in which he especially enjoyed himself at the expense of Ishant Sharma in particular and fast bowlers in general.
This was a hugely significant result for India, their first away Test win for 17 matches stretching back to early 2011, only their sixth in England and their second at Lord’s. For the 33-year-old captain, who has led them to world Twenty20 and 50-over titles in addition to the top of the world Test rankings and last summer’s Champions Trophy, it also made amends for the nightmare 2011 tour, when defeat at Lord’s was the first step towards a 4-0 whitewash.This was a hugely significant result for India, their first away Test win for 17 matches stretching back to early 2011, only their sixth in England and their second at Lord’s. For the 33-year-old captain, who has led them to world Twenty20 and 50-over titles in addition to the top of the world Test rankings and last summer’s Champions Trophy, it also made amends for the nightmare 2011 tour, when defeat at Lord’s was the first step towards a 4-0 whitewash.
“Being Lord’s, yes it is very special,” he said, as some of the Indian supporters who had taken advantage of reduced ticket prices in the hope of witnessing history could be heard cheering their other heroes outside. “It will be my last Test at Lord’s, I don’t see myself coming back here in I don’t know how many years.”“Being Lord’s, yes it is very special,” he said, as some of the Indian supporters who had taken advantage of reduced ticket prices in the hope of witnessing history could be heard cheering their other heroes outside. “It will be my last Test at Lord’s, I don’t see myself coming back here in I don’t know how many years.”
There is already some speculation in India whether Dhoni will play much Test cricket beyond this tour, and even how much longer he will lead the team in any form after they defend their 50-over World Cup in Australia and New Zealand early next year. There is already some speculation in India whether Dhoni will play much Test cricket beyond this tour and even how much longer he will lead the team in any form after they defend their 50-over World Cup in Australia and New Zealand early next year.
“It was definitely a memorable Test match,” he said. “We lost a crucial toss, and the win is the result of a lot of hard work and the effort of the team.” “It was definitely a memorable Test match,” he said. “We lost a crucial toss and the win is the result of a lot of hard work and the effort of the team.”
Dhoni praised the first-innings contributions of Ajinkya Rahane and Bhuvneshwar Kumar, two of the new generation around whom he and the former England coach Duncan Fletcher are building such a promising team, as well as the spiky half century from Ravindra Jadeja on Sunday morning that gave India crucial extra runs to defend. Dhoni praised the first-innings contributions of Ajinkya Rahane and Bhuvneshwar Kumar, two of the new generation around whom he and the former England coach Duncan Fletcher are building such a promising team, as well as the spiky half-century from Ravindra Jadeja on Sunday morning that gave India crucial extra runs to defend.
It was on the topic of Sharma that he was the most entertaining. “To start with it was very difficult to convince him to bowl short or around the wicket.It was on the topic of Sharma that he was the most entertaining. “To start with it was very difficult to convince him to bowl short or around the wicket.
“You have to tell him that it still counts as a Test wicket when you are bowling short, not only when you get a nick to the keeper. At times it becomes difficult to make them understand even if you are saying it in simple words.“You have to tell him that it still counts as a Test wicket when you are bowling short, not only when you get a nick to the keeper. At times it becomes difficult to make them understand even if you are saying it in simple words.
“So I set a field to him so he couldn’t even think of pitching it up, that was the start. I gave him the field that forced him to bowl the way I wanted him to bowl.” Sharma is 25, and was playing in his 57th Test. “So I set a field to him so he couldn’t even think of pitching it up; that was the start. I gave him the field that forced him to bowl the way I wanted him to bowl.” Sharma is 25 and was playing in his 57th Test.
“Once he got his first wicket [having Moeen Ali caught at short leg, with the last delivery of the morning session] he was eager enough. This is definitely something that will be added to his armoury. “Once he got his first wicket [having Moeen Ali caught at short-leg, with the last delivery of the morning session] he was eager enough. This is definitely something that will be added to his armoury.
“Definitely Duncan is someone who wants to try everything and definitely he wants the bowlers to bowl short. We don’t want to force ourselves on the bowlers but definitely in the last four or five games I think their view to bouncers and short stuff has opened up. But it was difficult to convince him.”“Definitely Duncan is someone who wants to try everything and definitely he wants the bowlers to bowl short. We don’t want to force ourselves on the bowlers but definitely in the last four or five games I think their view to bouncers and short stuff has opened up. But it was difficult to convince him.”
Dhoni expressed some sympathy for the succession of England batsmen who succumbed to Sharma’s reluctant Bodyline, arguing that after the meek submission to Mitchell Johnson in Australia they would have been damned whichever way they had been dismissed. He also empathised with Alastair Cook’s situation, recalling the eight consecutive Test defeats India had suffered under his captaincy when they lost 4-0 in Australia immediately after the 2011 whitewash in England.Dhoni expressed some sympathy for the succession of England batsmen who succumbed to Sharma’s reluctant Bodyline, arguing that after the meek submission to Mitchell Johnson in Australia they would have been damned whichever way they had been dismissed. He also empathised with Alastair Cook’s situation, recalling the eight consecutive Test defeats India had suffered under his captaincy when they lost 4-0 in Australia immediately after the 2011 whitewash in England.
“It doesn’t really matter what the world says,” Dhoni said. “You have to realise what needs to be done. It depends on the individual, whether the added responsibility is putting too much pressure on him, or if he’s fine with it.”“It doesn’t really matter what the world says,” Dhoni said. “You have to realise what needs to be done. It depends on the individual, whether the added responsibility is putting too much pressure on him, or if he’s fine with it.”
There was also an explanation of the unusual position he took up when Jadeja was bowling early in England’s second innings, standing a couple of yards back from the stumps in a manner more reminiscent of a reluctant primary school wicketkeeper. “I wanted my leg slip wide, and that meant we had no one for the thin nick, so I decided to stand back in that position,” he said with a smile. There was also an explanation of the unusual position he took up when Jadeja was bowling early in England’s second innings, standing a couple of yards back from the stumps in a manner more reminiscent of a reluctant primary school wicketkeeper. “I wanted my leg slip wide and that meant we had no one for the thin nick, so I decided to stand back in that position,” he said with a smile.
Dhoni may sometimes appear a maddeningly relaxed and even uninterested captain, as for much of that 2011 tour but when he is switched on, he can be entrancingly imaginative. The bad news for England and Cook is that he and Fletcher can now sniff the series win out of India which would provide both with so much satisfaction.Dhoni may sometimes appear a maddeningly relaxed and even uninterested captain, as for much of that 2011 tour but when he is switched on, he can be entrancingly imaginative. The bad news for England and Cook is that he and Fletcher can now sniff the series win out of India which would provide both with so much satisfaction.