Wellington, Jan 31: Dejected after being crushed 0-4 in the ODI series against New Zealand, Indian cricket captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni today said his team failed to adapt and improvise quickly enough against a side which was consistency personified.
India lost the fifth and final ODI by 87 runs here to go down 0-4 in the five-match series, the third match of which ended in a tie.
“Throughout this series, they (New Zealand) have played very good cricket. Their new ball pair has been very good but where they’ve taken the game away is in the middle overs batting which set up their charge late in the innings, picking up 80-90 runs consistently,” Dhoni said after the drubbing today.
Asked about his own team’s performance, a visibly drained Dhoni said, “It is important to improvise and adapt quickly, which we have failed to do.”
“From the talent point of view these are the players who have done very well in the past, winning the Champions Trophy. But they have to back themselves to play their strokes and the execution was lacking,” he added.
Dhoni said the upcoming two-match Test series, which starts on February 6, would be a tougher challenge for his players.
“It’ll be a bigger test of character in the Test series and it will be good for our younger players. I am looking forward to it,” said Dhoni. (PTI)
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