HYDERABAD, Nov 16 (PTI): Mahendra Singh Dhoni came down heavily on the kind of wickets prepared for the series against New Zealand, after the second Test at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium ended in a draw here today.
�If these are the kind of wickets we play on, then, maybe, we will need 10 days to force a result,� Dhoni said when asked what India should do to force a result.
�There was not much for the bowlers. That is why, I think, they did what they could to the best of their abilities,� the India skipper added.
On a track that never behaved like a fifth-day wicket, it was always going to be difficult for the Indian bowlers to dismiss the six New Zealand batsmen in quick time, but what made their task a Herculean one was Zaheer Khan�s absence from the field.
The seamer bowled just three overs before going off the field due to injury.
�Whatever may be the track, Zaheer has always given us wickets. Without him it was a little tough. And the wicket made it tougher,� Dhoni said.
Asked about the seriousness of Zaheer�s injury Dhoni said, �It is a groin problem as far as I know. Now, how serious it is� it is more of a preventive measure. We didn�t want to strain or push him as that might aggravate the injury and we might lose him for a longer period.�
Questioned on the option of playing with five bowlers taking into account Harbhajan Singh�s ability to use the willow to good effect, Dhoni said, �Playing with five bowlers is a tough call.
�We are always happy playing four bowlers. Also, putting extra responsibility on Bhajji to score runs won�t be fair as it would increase the pressure on him. But it is an option which we can consider according to the situation.�
On the match as a whole the India skipper said, �Both teams played well and the wicket supported the batsmen. We thought that the first hour(on the fifth day) would be crucial. Zaheer bowled a couple of overs before the new ball was taken.�
Indian captains have, in the past, got pitches, mostly turners, that suited their teams but Dhoni, in that sense, has been an exception.
Citing the pitch here, Dhoni said, �It�s a tough one. Hyderabad wicket was always known to be a batsmen-friendly one (it has produced many high-scoring ODIs and T20 matches in the past). It�s tough to change the nature of wicket overnight.�
�Against Sri Lanka in 2007 in Ahmedabad, then Kanpur I think, and we were getting some assistance at the CCI (Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai) in the morning session; otherwise most of the matches have played on wickets that�s more on the flatter side,� Dhoni said referring to the changing trend of pitches in India.