Dhoni blames batsmen for crushing defeat

[1]

Indian skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni squarely put the blame on his batsmen for the crushing 87-run defeat at the hands of Australia in a critical match at the SCG here on Sunday.

"I don't need to explain (any futher). We have not done enough with the bat. We have to get them (the rivals) out below 200 to win games (it seems)," said Dhoni, after India all but crashed out of the Commonwealth Bank one-day series here.

"We have a much better line-up. Since we are not in good form, it's the pressure on batsmen who are scoring runs (to stay put). The Nos 7, 8 or 9 batsmen are coming in by the 30th over. We were five wickets are down after 20 overs. We haven't done well consistently enough."

Dhoni said he didn't believe in being harsh to individuals within the team and wanted a set batsman to make the most of his stay in the middle.

"We have been explaining what needs to be done. I am not a believer in pin-pointing individuals. On wickets with pace and bounce, you need to give more time to yourself. The batsmen who are set have to sweat it out because all of us are not in good form. Gautam (Gambhir) did so in a couple of games and we did really well."

Dhoni, who wasn't aware that India could still qualify for the finals�provided India beats Sri Lanka with a bonus point in Hobart, feels there is still a realistic chance.

"It gives us another chance. It means you have to chase the opposition score in 40 overs which may be a very difficult task but at least we have a chance. It's also a realistic chance for a team which is going through a bad phase and has nothing to lose, you could just come out and express yourself and go for big strokes."

As for Tendulkar, Dhoni simply believed it wasn't right on bowler Brett Lee's part to cross the pitch and then stand in the way of Tendulkar trying to make it to the striker's end.

"In Brisbane in the first game (against Australia last week) Vinay was bowling. We had a slip and no midwicket. The ball went to the point fielder. Vinay crossed over the pitch and coming towards midwicket in a brisk pace for the (point) fielder to have a shy at the stumps. Umpires said (to Vinay) you are not allowed to do that. But he was doing something which was well within the laws of the game."

"I don't think he can justify the fact that Lee was going towards the point fielder. I don't think he had a business to do it. And then he decided to stop right in front of Tendulkar which meant you have to take a longer way across him, leading to the run-out."

"I personally thought it was a bit unjustified for Tendulkar. He had to take that extra yards. Billy (Bowden) should have said something, he was in a position to see where exactly the bowler was and where he stopped because it was very difficult for Simon (Taufel) to take a call because he had no clue which angle the batsman was running and where Lee actually stopped."

Dhoni said Tendulkar indeed was disappointed 'with the bowler standing in his way'.

Dhoni saw no point in pressing and arguing with the umpire once a decision has been given.

"An umpire could think he was defending himself and that's why we are not giving him out. Once a decision is given, you can cry and cry and it's still in opposition's favour."