We did not perform as well as we did in the earlier matches, says Jason Holder
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Windies captain Jason Holder has said that his boys did not perform as well as they have done in the earlier matches of the series. After losing the first match of the series the Windies made a strong come back tying the second and winning the third encounter of the five-match ODI series.
Banking on strong centuries from Rohit Sharma and Ambati Rayudu, India put on a huge target of 377 runs to chase for the touring West Indies side. Thereafter, India also bowled the Windies cheaply cleaning them for mere 153 runs, defeating the visitors by 224 runs. At the post-match conference, the Windies skipper felt that his team did not play up to their potential and thus lost the match.
"We definitely didn't play well. The way we started the series and the way we have played so far, we certainly didn't do any justice today. We conceded too many runs. I felt it was a very good wicket. It was a wicket where once you get in, you can go really big. Unfortunately none of our batters just really gave themselves a chance to bat deep into the innings"Â Holder said at the post-match conference, reported PTI.
The final game of the five match series will be played on Thursday in Thiruvananthapuram. He said that his boys will have to get back to rhythm pretty soon and come back strong for the final ODI.
"Obviously cricket is played in a day and we just got to play
The skipper also sounded confident about the capabilities of his bowlers hinting at 2nd and 3rd ODIs in which they managed a tie and a win respectively.
"Yeah, good players, they play really well but we have shown we can get them out. It's just matter of being more consistent. You just have to take a bit of a gamble up front to take their wickets," he said.
With MS Dhoni struggling to get in form and other lower order batsmen not getting as many chances as the top four, Holder pointed that his bowlers need to put pressure on the lower middle order to do better.Â
"I reckon if you get their wickets, you are obviously in the show. Obviously, they are quality players, but you need to put a little bit more pressure on their middle and lower half, who probably haven't been tested as much as their top half in this series so far," added Holder.
Speaking about the pitch conditions in India, Holder assessed that the pitches are not really bowler friendly. He also commended the Indian batsmen particularly Rohit Sharma.
"It's tough. The conditions are such that they favour batters quite dominantly here. He (Rohit) is a really good player. Once he gets in there, he goes really big. We just have to hang in there, probably bowl outside off stump and try to get his wicket," Holder said.
"There's no point in sticking to line and lengths for the first 10 overs trying to contain. You know how dangerous he can be once he gets in the flow, so you have to get him out."
