Team didn't play to its potential in Pune, says Kumble

Head coach Anil Kumble on Thursday said the Indian cricket team did not play to its potential in the Pune Test, where they lost to Australia by a mammoth 333-run margin.

Kumble said the team did not adapt well to the conditions and that was the reason it lost the first Test match.

The Pune Test was finished inside three days with Australia's left-arm spinner Steve O'Keefe taking six wickets in each innings.

"What has happened in Pune is done and dusted. I don't think we played to our potential. The team didn't adapt to the conditions. Every game we need to adapt to what comes our way. Australia played well," Kumble told media persons ahead of the second Test, starting on March 4 at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium here.

"Now we are looking forward to the second game to get back to winning ways. It was a team failure and we cannot point fingers at anyone," Kumble added.

"We would like to come back into this Test match playing to our potential. And I also said earlier that if we tick those boxes regularly, the results go our way," he said.

The veteran leg-spinner also reckoned that there were many close calls in the middle so it is too early to question the Decision Review System (DRS).

India lost all four reviews while fielding and managed only one decision in their favour while batting in the first Test.

"No, I don't think we messed it up. We did certainly better in DRS than England and Bangladesh. Those calls were really close. So, I don't think we need to worry about that," Kumble said.

The 46-year-old also made it clear that the team management will not replace middle-order batsman Ajinkya Rahane, who was dismissed for 13 and 18 in both the innings.

"There's no question of dropping Ajinkya Rahane. He has scored well and has been extremely successful. It is unfortunate that Karun Nair has missed out. That's how the team composition goes," Kumble said.

--IANS

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