Nagpur: India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni has said England deserved the series win after the fourth and final cricket Test ended in a drab draw here Monday.
England won the series 2-1, their first win on Indian soil since 1984-85.
Dhoni, asked if England deserved the series win, said: "I think so, we struggled in the batting department but their spinners were right on the mark, James Anderson was very good, testing the batsmen."
Dhoni, however, criticised the pitch conditions saying it was difficult to pick wickets.
"As the game progressed there wasn`t much for the spinners or fast bowlers. If you got your head down it was hard to take wickets. I think it got better, coming on to the bat and easier to play strokes," he said.
"We tried a few combinations that didn`t really work (in the series), we had some part-timers but we needed someone like (Ravindra) Jadeja to keep the lid on the batsmen. (Cheteshwar) Pujara`s batting was a positive and (Gautam) Gambhir got back in the runs."
A smiling England captain Alastair Cook couldn`t hide his happiness and praised his team for an incredible performance.
"Special day, special tour. Today, it was a flat wicket to bat on but (Jonathan Trott) Trotty and (Ian Bell) Belly did it so calmly. We were quite surprised with the pitch at the start, how low and slow it was, but it got better. We knew if we didn`t give anyway any soft dismissals it would be hard to bowl us out and I`m proud the lads fronted up," said Cook.
England, who lost the first Test match in humiliating fashion, came back with great vigour first to level the series and then take the lead with a comprehensive win in Kolkata.
"After Ahmedabad, the heavy defeat, it`s been a fantastic response. In my first series as captain, I couldn`t have asked for more, it`s a very proud moment. Our bowlers have been brilliant and all the batsman contributed. It`s always nice when it goes well, can`t praise the team, the squad enough, the backroom staff but also the fans, the Barmy Army and the India supporters as well."
IANS
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts.
Cookies Setting
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device and the processing of information obtained via those cookies (including about your preferences, device and online activity) by us and our commercial partners to enhance site navigation, personalise ads, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. More information can be found in our Cookies and Privacy Policy. You can amend your cookie settings to reject non-essential cookies by clicking Cookie Settings below.
Manage Consent Preferences
Strictly Necessary Cookies
These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in or filling in forms. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work or you may not be able to login.
Functional Cookies
These cookies enable the website to provide enhanced functionality and personalisation. They may be set by us or by third party providers whose services we have added to our pages. If you do not allow these cookies then some or all of these services may not function properly.
Targeting Cookies
These cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They are also used to limit the number of times you see an advert as well as help measure the effectiveness of an advertising campaign. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.
Performance Cookies
These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. If you do not allow these cookies we may not know when you have visited our site, and may not be able to monitor its performance.