JOIN USIndia skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni on Sunday said his team’s failure to build partnerships after losing an early wicket was the cause of the defeat against New Zealand in the first one-dayer and asked his batsmen to come up with more consistent performances.
“We lost three quick wickets of Virat, Ravindra Jadeja and mine, and that was the turning point of the match,” said Dhoni at the post match press conference.
Dhoni reserved special praise for his deputy Kohli whose valiant effort was denied by the Kiwis in the end. “Virat is a free flowing batsman and he backs himself to play big shots.
He knows what works for him and he picks and chooses his shots. If he gets a good start then he makes sure that he converts that start, getting to fifty and making a big score after that.”
The New Zealand skipper Brendon McCullum termed his team’s win as ‘huge’.
“The result today is huge for us. To start the series against what is a very good Indian team and then Virat Kohli performed as well as what he did. Yet we come out on top, it is a really good sign. I am delighted for the guys, delighted with today’s performance,” McCullum said at the post match press conference.