Birmingham, Aug 13: India’s massive defeat in the third Test at Edgbaston, by an innings and 242 runs, cost them the series and the No. 1 ranking in Tests. In the post-match presentation, India skipper MS Dhoni spoke about the team’s dismal performance in the match and series so far.

Excerpts from his presentation interview:

On the defeat by an innings and 242 runs

First of all, congrats to England for becoming the No. 1 Test-playing side. We were not really up to the mark in the series so far. The first game, the second game and the third game here, the margin of defeat is only getting bigger and bigger so there are some things that we need to have a look on but when you lose a game, it doesn’t really matter [whether it is by] a big margin or by four runs. There are areas where we need to improve as a side, our bowling and batting departments have not really clicked in the series. The bowlers did a good job in maybe a couple of innings but overall to play really good cricket you have to be consistent and I think the England side really did that.

On the below par fielding and whether as captain he thought parts of India’s game were unacceptable for a Test team

You need to see what limitations we have; the fielders in our side are not brilliant fielders but they give their hundred percent and more often than not eighty percent of the side is the same side which has been playing consistent cricket for the last two, two-and-a-half years. There’s no point in pointing [to] anyone [when] you lose a game [saying] this is what needs to be done. We are not the best looking fielding side in the world and what we are really proud of is our bowling and batting departments.

On the batting department yet to score 300 runs on the tour (England scored over 700 runs in an innings here)

It’s a very difficult one to explain; we have not been able to [play] the good deliveries out. That’s what the English batsmen have done – [it’s important to] not edge the good ones and make the most of the loose deliveries that you get. It’s a major area of concern because we don’t want to just see the overs through, we have to score runs at the end of the day. What we need to do is see off the good balls and make the most of the loose deliveries so we have to be consistent at it and hopefully in the next game we can do slightly better.

On whether some of the players were getting along in years

Not really, they are still the best in the world and a couple of defeats or a couple of wins don’t really change anything. I am really proud of the side that I have and there’s plenty cricket left in the Indian cricket team.

On how he was coping with the personal pressure that he has probably encountered for the first time in his career as Test captain

It is part and parcel of cricket, especially when you play for India. There is a lot of expectation. This is the first series that we have lost in the last two, two-and-a-half years. People expect us to win everything and we try to win each and every game that we play but it’s not really possible because you are part of international cricket where each and every team represents their respective country so what they want to do is win for their respective countries. It’s a game of cat and mouse; you have to be at your best. If not, some other team will beat you. Being No. 1 or not being No. 1 is not something that’s really important. It’s one position that you don’t own. It’s all about playing consistent cricket and earning it and trying to stabilise, having a good performance and being there.

On whether India had cherished the No. 1 position while occupying it

We try to make the most out of whatever we get; we were at the top of the world for quite some time but we never thought of saying, ‘We are the No. 1 side’. We thought of enjoying cricket. As I said, the expectation level is huge whenever we go on to the field. So it is important for us to prepare well and whatever time we had before the start of this series we tried to utilise in the best possible manner. I’m quite happy with the preparation. It’s one of those series where nothing [has] really clicked for us.

On whether he thinks India can turn it around at the Oval

Why not, because form and [consistentcy] are things that are talked about. But not to forget that people who don’t score [for a few games], it’s not like they don’t score after that; you see brilliant innings coming through after a couple of zeros or a couple of tens. We have the experience to make it big in the last Test match which we will play for pride so hopefully we will be at our best.