Dhoni: Tail enders can't keep scoring runs

India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni has rued the top order's lack of runs in the Test series against England, saying the lower order saved them in the first two games, but couldn't carry the game indefinitely.

India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni has rued the top order's lack of runs in the Test series against England, saying the lower order saved them in the first two games, but couldn't carry the game indefinitely.

England won the third and fourth Tests by big margins to take a two-one series lead, with their fast bowlers coming to the party and exposing the India top order. Thus, the India bowlers did not have much to bowl at.

A telling statistic before the fourth game at Old Trafford was that star batsman Virat Kohli had less runs than number 10 batsman Bhuvneshwar Kumar, who had three half tons to his name in the series, while Kohli had a top score of 39.

Dhoni said: "What is important is to put runs on the board. To some extent, Lord's and the performance of the eight, nine, ten and eleven so far in the series camouflaged the question of the top order not performing.

"But when you are playing with five bowlers, the fifth bowler actually has scored more runs for us. That actually puts pressure on, whatever the reason may be. May be a few of the batsmen are having a lean period at the same time.

"But overall we will have to put more runs on the board so that the bowlers can get the opposition out.

"First few Test matches, the performance of our batters got camouflaged. Stuart [Binny] got runs in the first Test match along with [Mohammed] Shami, Bhuvi [Bhuvneshwar Kumar] and others.

"No one really asked the question, we are playing with one batter less so is it up to the batsmen to take the responsibility. That trend continued forward with the batting department.

"It is just that the lower order did not contribute in this Test match so it seems we have not scored runs."

He added: "The batting department will have to improve, especially since we are playing a batter less. That extra bowler is actually contributing both with ball and bat.

"Still the top five or six batters will have to get more runs to make the bowlers feel more comfortable."

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