Dhoni offers West Indies hope after Indian victory

KINGSTON: India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni gave West Indies' team a boost after their 63-run First Test defeat by suggestingthey could push the visitors in the remainder of the series. India successfully defended a victory target of 326 to dismiss West Indies for 262 in their second innings on the fourth day at Sabina Park on Thursday.

However Dhoni said West Indies had a side that was India's equal in talent, if not in their ability to seize the crucial moments. "I will not make the mistake by saying that this opposition is not good enough," he said.

"Every batsman can score runs. Their first seven batters have the talent which equally matches the one of the current Indian team." West Indies leg-spinner Devendra Bishoo also received words of encouragement from the World Cup and Indian Premier League winning captain.

Some observers felt that Bishoo had bowled better than the Indian pair of Harbhajan Singh and Amit Mishra, picking up seven wickets in the match. "Bishoo kept bowling in the right areas," said Dhoni. "There was a fair degree of turn in the first innings, but as the game progressed, that turn was not there.

"The Indian spinners found it a bit difficult because of the strong breeze across the field. But as the game went on, they adapted well and began bowling better." Dhoni reserved special praise however, to some of the players that played crucial roles in his side's victory other than Man-of-the-Match Rahul Dravid and Test newcomer Praveen Kumar.

"Our lower half batsmen for the past year and a half have been contributing well," he said. "We were 85 for six in the first innings before Harbhajan, along with Suresh Raina, bailed us out. In the second innings, Mishra made a telling contribution."

Harbhajan and Raina added 146 for the seventh wicket in the first innings to help India reach 246. Mishra and Dravid put on 56 for the ninth wicket, taking India to 252 in their second innings, and leaving West Indies to chase 326 for victory. "But for that stand (Raina and Harbhajan), we could have been all out for 150," he said.

"We were able to get more runs and thus gather a handy lead. Then in the second innings, we could stretch the lead to 300 plus. "Three hundred was always going to be a difficult score to chase in the fourth innings. They were off to a flyer, but wickets always slow down the momentum, and we were able to apply pressure on their middle order."

Dhoni was also fulsome in praise for Dravid's batting in the second innings, and the bowling of Kumar in both innings.

"Dravid has been an exceptional batsman for India," he said. "That he played over 250 deliveries showed he was very patient. He made the bowlers pitch in his areas, and was brilliant.

"Praveen is a very skilful bowler and can swing it either way. He doesn't have the pace, but he can swing the ball, and confuse the batsmen if they needed to play or leave a delivery."

"He showed great character after having been stopped from bowling in the first innings. When you are switching from the 10-over format to 20 to 25 overs in an innings, you have to be careful. "Importantly, he backed his strength and picked up wickets in the second innings as well."

Copyright AFP (Agence France-Presse), 2011