Anderson made a major difference, says Dhoni

Nagpur: India skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni on Monday said that pacer James Anderson`s ability to reverse swing the ball in his second and third spells played a "crucial" role in England`s historic 2-1 Test series win here after a gap of 28 years.

England sealed the series after the fourth and final Test ended in a draw at the VCA stadium in Jamtha. "I felt Anderson bowled well throughout the series on wickets where there was not much help for the fast bowlers. That was very crucial," said Dhoni after the match. "He was at the batsmen all the time, specially the second and third spells of his where the ball had started to reverse and still was slightly on the harder side. "He made the most out of that spell and kept the batsmen guessing. I think the major difference between the two sides was James Anderson who bowled very well," he added. The England pace spearhead grabbed 12 wickets in four Tests at 30.25, while Graeme Swann and Monty Panesar accounted for 20 and 17 victims from four and three games respectively. "If you see their side, they are a very well balanced side. The two spinners they have got... Monty is a very good spinner and Graeme Swann is among the best in the world," the skipper said. Dhoni said his team made a few mistakes, including the loss of wickets in heap in the third game at Kolkata, but added there were a few positives too. "In Kolkata in one session we lost 6-7 wickets. It was very important to absorb pressure at that time. It`s all about partnerships. On a flat wicket once you go in you are in some doubt but you become calmer as you play more. "There were a few positives and a few places where we lost out. That`s the reason we lost the series," he said. PTI