ICC World T20 2016: MS Dhoni blames batsmen for shocking defeat against New Zealand

After Tuesday’s 47-run loss to New Zealand in the ICC World T20 opener Indian captain, Mahendra Singh Dhoni blamed his batsmen for the shocking loss in Nagpur.

It was an embarrassing lost for the in-form Indian team as they recorded their lowest ever T20 score in home soil while getting all out for just 79 runs in 18.1 overs. India were chasing a modest total of 126 after a good bowling performance.

But it was India’s batting which wasn’t up to the mark as they lost nine wickets against the Kiwi spinners. India never looked in control as wickets kept on falling at regular intervals. India’s previous lowest total at home was 92 against South Africa in Cuttack last year.

Today our batting let us down – Dhoni

Indian skipper MS Dhoni said, "I thought we restricted them to a good total (but) the batting let us down, the shot selection kept putting pressure on the batsmen coming in and there was no partnership in the middle,”

India, fresh from winning the Asia Cup T20, had been the favourites to become the first team ever to win the World T20 title for a second time at home, as they began their quest in the Super 10 stage of the tournament.

But New Zealand’s slow bowlers stunned the passionate home crowd in Nagpur with left-arm spinner Mitchell Santner leading the show with a four-wicket haul in a superb spell of spin bowling. The Kiwis selected three spinners in their side and left out two of their premium fast-bowlers for the clash.

New Zealand bowled really well and exploited the conditions well – Dhoni

Dhoni praised New Zealand’s bowling and their assessment of the conditions. He said, "They bowled well, exploited the conditions, but we lacked adaptability, we could have applied ourselves a bit more,"

India were never in the chase after losing their openers in the first couple of overs, with the exception of Virat Kohli (23), none of the Indian top order could come up with any answers to the inspired Kiwi spin bowling.

Kohli offered some resistance on a slow track during his 27-ball stay, but the introduction of Sodhi brought the end for the Indian vice-captain. Dhoni then tried hard to dig India out of their hole but his valiant run-a-ball 30 made little difference as wickets kept on tumbling at the other end.

Santner made a new national record yesterday, whose figures of 4-11 were the best for a New Zealand bowler in T20 cricket. He was well supported by the Indian-born leg-spinner Ish Sodhi and off-spinner Nathan McCullum, who shared five wickets between them on a slow track.

Since the start of the year, India have been extremely good especially in the shortest format as they whitewashed Australia then won the T20I series against Sri Lanka at home and then went on to win the Asia Cup T20 in Bangladesh. This shocking defeat is certainly a wakeup call for the Indian team who will face their arch-rivals Pakistan on 19 March in Kolkata.