12 July,2011 08:41 AM IST | | Clayton Murzello
Bishan Singh Bedi lashes out at Indian skipper MS Dhoni for Dominica draw
Bishan Singh Bedi says India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni's leadership on the final day of the third Test against West Indies in Dominica was unbecoming of a No 1 Test team and World Cup-winning captain.
On Sunday at Windsor Park, Dhoni closed shop at 94 for three while chasing 180 for victory. India had an additional 15 overs left to give themselves a chance to win.
A win would have given India a 2-0 series win. Instead, India were content on a 1-0 victory earned through their dominance in the first Test at Kingston, Jamaica where they won by 63 runs.
However, Dhoni was not helped by the fact that Shivnarine Chanderpaul scored a defiant hundred that ate into a good amount of time his batsmen would have had to reach a target. Chanderpaul put on 65 runs with Fidel Edwards for the ninth wicket.
The Indian batting line-up was without the services of Sachin Tendulkar (on a break) and the injured Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir as well as an ill Yuvraj Singh. Among the bowlers, Zaheer Khan and S Sreesanth are recovering from injury.
"This business of sitting on 1-0 lead is atrocious. They call you India's most successful captain ufffd then behave like one. Plus, you are a World Cup winner," stressed Bedi.
The former India captain (1976 to 1978) felt that Dhoni's men should finished up being 3-0. "This was a weak West Indies team. They say rain prevented a win in Barbados but your batsmen were slow too. Players like Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman don't need instructions to get a move on. Now, all positives are with the West Indians. They would have got the feeling of, 'now, we seem to belong to international standard.' And this is a team which is in turmoil due to their administration...
"India must live up to their reputation of being No 1. This living up business has to be seen. With television coverage everywhere this cannot be hidden," said Bedi.
