Not a perfect start to series: Dhoni

It was not a perfect start to the series despite a comprehensive victory in the first Test, according to Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni .

It was not a perfect start to the series despite a comprehensive victory in the first Test, according to Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni who said the triumph could have been more satisfying had his batsmen shown more application in the first innings.

Mahendra-Singh-Dhoni-celebrates-after-India-beat-the-West-Indies-during-the-fourth-day-of-the-first-cricket-Test-match-in-New-Delhi

Dhoni savoured the win but said had they batted well in the first innings, he would have said without any hestitation that it was a perfect start to the series against West Indies.

All India could manage was 209 in the first innings and consequently conceded a 95-run lead but came from behind to win the match with almost one-and-a-half day to spare.

"If we had the first innings lead it would have been a perfect start to the series. We did not do well in the first innings. If our batsmen see how they were out in the first innings they would think that they should not have been out and done much better. Considering the difficult pitch, a bit of application from the batsmen should have helped," Dhoni said at the post-match press conference.

Dhoni also insisted that the much-criticised Kotla pitch was not a bad one but a surface "difficult in its own way".

"Venue-wise, historically Kotla has been a difficult track but I don't think it was a bad wicket. It's a typical Kotla track which favours spin more. It's slow and low and difficult to score. It's difficult in its own way. I hope Kolkata will be different," he said.

"There was nothing much for the batsmen as well as bowlers. Batsmen will have to work hard for runs while bowlers will have to be patient and bowl at right areas consistently. It's different from earlier tracks in the way that there was a bit of grass. On the third day you can see grass and it showed that the track would not break down," said Dhoni.