BCCI Treasurer and IPL Chairman Arun Dhumal says he did not expect the England team to collapse inside three days in the fifth and final Test against India after being given "the best of English conditions in terms of pitch, outfield, and weather". (More Cricket News)
England went down by an innings and 64 runs in the fifth Test inside three days in Dharamsala as India wrapped up an impressive 4-1 series triumph.
The visitors were expected to perform better in the final match as the hill-town offered conditions similar to the one back in their own country.
"It's been a phenomenal series, if you have seen the way it started, it was a 1-1 tie and the way it then progressed, the kind of performance that has been given by Team India is phenomenal...," Dhumal told PTI Video.
"I think somehow English players could not apply themselves, even though we had given the best of English conditions, in terms of pitch, outfield, weather. Unfortunately, they could not capitalise on that, but that happens in any game, and I am sure they will come back," he said.
Dhumal stopped short of calling the Indian team invincible but was lavish in his praise for the team's bench strength.
The side was without stars like Virat Kohli, K L Rahul and Mohammed Shami during the series. However, youngsters such as Yashasvi Jaiswal, Dhruv Jurel and Sarfaraz Khan stepped up brilliantly for the team.
"See the kind of talent that we have, we have seen, even if the best of players are out of the team, somebody else would come as a replacement.
"...they have done a phenomenal job and I am sure the Indian team will go from strength to strength on the way forward," Dhumal said.
Dhumal also felt that the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association was unfairly maligned for having poor outfield conditions in the run up to the final Test.
"That was primarily because of the weather conditions. You would have seen, the kind of outfield that we have given, and everybody appreciated that this is the world's best outfield.
"I am very thankful to the HPCA officials, they worked very hard overnight to get this kind of outfield, and it was a phenomenal effort by everyone," he pointed out.
