Sydney, Jan 6: After an excellent performance by the Australian fast bowlers, India were batted out of the SCG Test by a Michael Clarke triple-ton; the visitors went on to lose by an innings and 68 runs with a little over a day remaining in the Test. A beleaguered India now head to Perth hoping to bounce back from two straight losses in the four-Test series.

In the post-match media-interaction, India skipper MS Dhoni reflected upon his team’s performance in the series so far.

Excerpts:

On his thoughts about the match

What went wrong for us was the first session on the very first day. We were way down at that point of time. After that, when the Australians came in to bat, Zak [Zaheer Khan] gave us those three vital breaks. [Though] from that point on [Michael] Clarke and Ricky Ponting batted really well. Once Ricky departed, [Michael] Hussey came in and they were able to build partnership [and] kept it going and scored at a very brisk pace which meant they had plenty of time to get us out.

On the batting performance not being good enough

Apart from winning the toss we were behind in the game. If you score just 200-odd runs and get out very quickly on the very first day, the opposition get to bat on the best [days] of the wicket and they have plenty of time to get us out again.

On the situation being frustrating after winning a good toss

It was a good track to bat on, a few batsmen got out to good deliveries but you have to make the most of [what’s on offer]. The Sydney wicket, and especially this particular wicket, was good to bat on. The Australian batting lineup made the most of it.

On Michael Clarke’s performance

He batted brilliantly throughout. He played his shots which is very crucial and once he got the [hang] of the wicket, he started dominating the bowlers. It was very difficult to contain him. We tried a few different ways [to get him out] right from bowling on the stumps to wide off the stumps but he was scoring freely and he was well supported by Hussey and Ricky Ponting initially.

On whether they could beat this Australian team in Perth

Of course, why not? As I always say, it’s a fresh start. Plenty of people had told me [that] Sydney is a happy hunting ground but it’s not about what the stats say; it’s always about what you are doing on that particular day […] So it’s not about what has happened in the series but we will definitely look to win the Perth game.

On whether he had good memories of Perth from India’s last tour to Australia

That’s something that can always get you the bit of confidence that’s needed but it’s not that we are lacking in confidence as of now. I always believe it is important to be in the present. People always talk about what you have done at a particular venue in the past. For example Sydney, [where] we have always done well; but it’s not [like we can] just turn up on the field [and history] will help us perform. A bit of stats will help us but it all depends on how we utilise the next five or six days that we have got and how we turn up on the field.

On whether the top order not getting big scores was a cause for concern

To some extent, yes, because if you see the first two Test matches, the top eight [batsmen], including [Ravichandran] Ashwin, everybody has got a fifty which means everybody has scored runs. It’s just that [we] need to hunt in packs, get together as a team and if not [score] big hundreds, than at least get a few fifties [in tandem] so we can score over 350-odd runs in the very first innings and then look to put pressure on the opposition.

On Rohit Sharma’s chances of making the playing XI at Perth

As always, I don’t elect or announce the [playing XI]. We will wait and watch. We will see what is the most suitable eleven for that particular situation and we will see how it goes. It’s important to take a few days off first.