India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni said off-spinner R. Ashwin “had to
bowl out of his comfort zone in the Power Plays and the slog overs.”
He praised Ashwin for his all-round display in India's four-wicket
victory over Sri Lanka here on Wednesday. “He also batted well, did well
for himself and the team.”
Dhoni said the side had belief in Ravindra Jadeja as someone who can bat capably at No. 7 and do his job as a bowler.
He also said the Indian team missed a genuine pace bowling all-rounder
which is why it had to depend on its two spinners who could also bat
well to lend the side depth. Dhoni was appreciative of Virat Kohli's
vital 77. Asked about Kohli having to be carried off the field after
being run-out, he replied, “It's only cramps, nothing serious. You have
to be properly rehydrated in these conditions.”
On his stunning diving catch to the left to dismiss Kumar Sangakkara,
Dhoni joked, “I celebrated more than usual because I thought it was a
fluke!”
Bigger totals
Sri Lankan captain Mahela Jayawardene said his team was short by 30 to
40 runs. “We did not pace our innings well and got bogged down in the
middle phase. We have to get bigger totals on the board.”
He went on, “The only way you can put pressure on the opposition after
scoring just over 230 is to get wickets at regular intervals and deny
the batsmen singles. I would not mind boundaries but those singles hurt
us. We had our moments but could not finish things off.”
Jayawardene said, “These are early days in the tournament. We can
improve. I still believe there is a lot of talent in this side. You need
to identify them and define the roles properly.”
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