VISAKHAPATNAM, Dec 16: Indian batsmen have been found wanting against the moving ball of late but opener Shikhar Dhawan today insisted that they have learnt from the mistakes made in Dharamsala and Kolkata.
The ordinary performance in pace-friendly conditions has raised question marks ahead of the South Africa tour beginning early month when India go into the three-match Test series without playing a single warm-up game.
�We have learnt a lot of things. Especially when we played in Kolkata (during first Test against SL) and in Dharamsala (first ODI),� said Dhawan ahead of the ODI series decider against Sri Lanka here tomorrow.
�It was seaming and it was a damp wicket but we still went in with a positive intent and gave our best and of course, it didn�t go our way but we all learnt from it. It�s good sometimes when you fall, you learn a lots of things out of it,� he added.
India bounced back to level the series in Mohali courtesy a third double hundred from captain Rohit Sharma. India made a bagful of runs in the second ODI but Dhawan said there were still important learnings to take from the game.
�The way we came back in the next game, in Mohali we felt that it was a damp wicket at the start but it wasn�t. Still the ball wasn�t coming that nicely when we were batting at the start.
�We took the pressure nicely and changed the game after ten overs. As I said, it�s always a learning curve, we are learning and we are going to get better from here,� the left- handed opener said.
The southpaw was also all praise for his opening partner Rohit, who has led from the front in his first full series as captain.
�He has only been captain for two matches but I�ve known Rohit from a long time and I know what his character is like.
�He is a very chilled out captain and tells us to keep the basics right, we all know our roles, we just have to give our best and hats off to him for the way he performed in the last game. Very happy about it,� said Dhawan.
On what he thought of the captain�s unbeaten 208, Dhawan said: �Rohit and I have played for a long time. He is one of the best opening batsman I have played with.�
The stylish opener conceded that there is pressure ahead of the series decider tomorrow but the team is used to it.
�Of course there is pressure whenever you play a final (decider), there is pressure but we are used to it and there is going to be a big crowd tomorrow. � PTI