vIndianz.com (28 Jan, 2010) — Mirpur: India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni singled out star performer Zaheer Khan for the team’s series victory and said the bowlers did an excellent job on an unresponsive track in the second Test against Bangladesh.
“It was a difficult task to get wickets in this track, both for spinners and pacers. But all credit goes to the bowlers. They really put their best to get those 20 wickets, especially Zaheer’s spell,” Dhoni said after his team crushed the hosts by 10 wickets to clinch the series 2-0.
“The ball was getting old and the wicket was getting slower and slower. This is a reason we decided to bowl first in this wicket. If you bat first you need to score 600 plus or else you have to again come and bat. So it was tough but I think the bowlers did a terrific job,” Dhoni said on Wednesday.
Bowling a long spell, Zaheer was at his best opn Wednesday, decimating the hosts with his seven for 87 in the second innings.
Heaping praise on the left-arm seamer, Dhoni said, “The ball was old and it was getting reverse swing. It was also keeping low. So we felt we can get some LBW decisions in our favour and decided to give Zaheer a longer spell.”
Also praising left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha for chipping in with two second innings wicket, Dhoni said, “Credit also goes to Ojha who took that one wicket of (Mohd) Ashraful at that time. Dhoni was elated after the team’s convincing series win but he refused to be complacent.
“We always can do better. For the last 12 months we have done well in both ODIs and Tests. There is always scope for improvement but the result is very satisfactory,” he said.
However, Dhoni sounded a bit worried about the number of injuries that haunted the side in this series.
“The series was full of injuries so I am a bit worried. But with the amount of cricket that we play these days, it’s is ok. I hope the players (VVS Laxman and Yuvraj Singh) are fit before the South Africa series,” he was reported as saying by Press Trust of India.
Zaheer Khan, who registered career-best 10 for 149 in the second Test, said his match-winning feat boosted his morale.
“It was tough as the wicket was slow but once it started getting reverse swing, it started going the bowlers’ way. They had started well and needed to be pulled back. I am happy the way my spell went today and it has boosted my morale,” said Zaheer who was adjudged both Man of the Match and Man of the Series. Zaheer said he still needed to work on his fitness and bowl as much as possible.
“I still need to work on my fitness. My shoulder needs to be monitored and I have do the rehab exercises. I need to bowl more and more and I am looking forward to the South Africa series,” he said.
“Learning to bowl reverse-swing takes some time, it comes with experience. Due to my injuries, I had some time away from the game in the past and I used that phase to work on my bowling and that helped,” Zaheer said after India won the second Test.
The left-arm speedster told ‘The HIndu’ that he was confident about an Indian triumph despite Bangladesh’s fightback on the third day. “Once the ball got old and started reversing, I knew it was just a matter of time. Getting two wickets late on Tuesday helped and of course they went after us and the key was to remain patient. The kookaburra swings a lot in the early overs and once it gets old, you have to rely on reverse swing and that depends on the conditions,” Zaheer said.
Zaheer said that it was imperative for the seamers to contribute in the second Test. “This was not a pitch for spinners and the seamers had to deliver and we did that. In the earlier match at Chittagong, it was a collective effort from all the bowlers,” he said.
“Coming back from an injury, I am happy with my rhythm. My body and mind are in sync and I am working on my throwing and fitness,” he added.
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