MS Dhoni credits his spinners after winning the first Test

 Having beaten England in the first Test of the four-match series at Ahmedabad, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, the Indian captain, believes that the pitch became easier to bat in the latter stages of the match but credited his spinners for an extra-ordinary showing on a flat track.

The Men in Blue defeated the Poms by nine wickets on day 5 of the fixture and look on course to avenge their last year’s whitewash at the hands of England, which cost them the number one ranking in Test cricket.

Having posted a mammoth total of 521 runs for the loss of eight wickets in their first innings, the home side crushed England for just 191 runs, enforcing follow-on. The visitors however, displayed a much better fight in the second innings as they scored 406 runs before being bowled out on the match’s last day, thanks to a stunning ton by Alastair Cook, who led his team by example.

Needing 77 runs to take lead in the series, Dhoni’s men chased down the total in their second innings for the loss of just one wicket.

While expressing his views in the post-match presentation ceremony, the India skipper said that the bowlers did not enjoy assistance from the pitch in the last two days of the match, which made it tough for the spinners.

He mentioned, “There was something in wicket to start with but as the game progressed there was low bounce but not much turn. It was hard-work for the spinners and it was a fantastic effort from them. Even if you misjudged the flight you had time to adjust and not much carried to the slips. It was important not to give many runs.”

Cook, the England captain, on the other hand, is disappointed to have lost the match but the left-handed opener takes heart from his team’s performance in the second innings.

“We can look at a number of reasons why we didn't win, but our first innings was good enough. It was a great fight-back, there was always a glimmer of hope, it was had to be something special,” said the England skipper.