da cassino online： Lack of runs towards the end let India down, feels Rahul Dravid
Siddhartha Vaidyanathan in Peshawar06-Feb-2006
Rahul Dravid was relieved at Sachin Tendulkar’s return to form © Getty Images
Rahul Dravid has said that India’s inability to capitalise on a wonderfullaunching pad had cost them the opening one-dayer at Peshawar, adding thatlosing on a technicality was an “unfortunate” outcome.”We should have got more runs in the last ten overs after the start wegot,” he said referring to India’s stutter from 305 for 5 to 328 all out.”Unfortunately a few legbefore dismissals happened to us and there weresome great catches taken too.”He defended the move to promote Pathan and Dhoni ahead of himself and saidthat he would have walked out to bat earlier had events taken a differentturn. “The plan was to mix the consolidators with the power-hitters whowere there till the 42nd or 43rd overs,” he continued. “It was acalculated move. I would have come out to bat early had Sachin got out.”Dravid was glad that Sachin Tendulkar had bounced back into form but feltthat the bowlers could have done a bit better. “He [Tendulkar] played agreat knock. If he bats for 100-120 balls he ends up making a hundred. Itwas good to see him back in form. It’s a good sign for us. We could havebowled better on the flat track, but at the same time we have to say thatthe outfield was pretty fast and there was hardly any distance between therope and the advertisement hoardings for the fielders to make a lunge atthe ball before it crossed the boundary line.”Yet, India squandered a great chance to go 1-0 up in the series and Dravidfelt that the game could have gone either way if bad light hadn’tintervened. “It was an unfortunate way to lose the match,” he addedtalking about the match being called off three overs in advance, “butrules are rules and they are part of the game. The match was headingtowards an exciting finish when it had to be called off.”