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Dravid frustrated after another defeat
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May 17, 2008 22:27 IST

Rahul Dravid [Images] is satisfied with his own batting but seeing his side plunging to yet another defeat makes him "frustrated".

"I am satisfied with my batting. I am playing well but things have not been good for us. I am frustrated a bit because nothing has been working out despite having very good players in our ranks," Dravid told reporters after his team's 65-run loss against Rajasthan Royals in Jaipur on Saturday.

The former India captain, who produced a blazing 75-run knock, defended his decision to bowl first on the slow pitch but admitted his team lacked required intensity.

"We have been putting our best effort but I feel the intensity was not there. I don't say that my decision to field was a wrong one but we didn't bowl and field well.

"We allowed them to reach 197 for one and then we lost five wickets only for few runs and after that it was just a matter of catching up," he said.

On being asked about the franchise pressure for performance, Dravid said, "There was not anything like that but we have to win the matches."

The Karnataka batsman blamed it on bad luck for his team's continuous poor show.

"We lacked a partnership so we could not build on the innings. We are trying our best, efforts are there but things have not gone our way. But we have to be positive and take lessons. T20 is fun if we are winning but not if losing.

"We have been accused of trying too many things. We also experimented a bit today. We sent big hitters up the order but could not fire because they (Rajasthan Royals) bowled in the right areas.

Dravid also felt that injuries to key players hit their chances of doing well today.

"We also had some limitations with (Dale) Steyn and few others being injured. What else we could have done."

Winning captain Shane Warne [Images] was all smiles but said team would not experiment even after sealing a semi-final berth.

"We still have an important game in Kolkata and then we have to play against Chennai. Next game in Kolkata will be tough because they are a good team. We can experiment after that," he said.

The leggie however feared the experimentation could prove detrimental for the team.

"But it can also disturb the winning momentum and also the understanding which has developed while playing together."

Warne also threw his weight behind Dravid and his team.

"He is a fine player and superb batsman and whatever is happening to his team is also happening to some other teams. They are not as bad as they are looking," he opined.

Warne also sought to scotch the rumors that there was panic among the team members after a series of blasts rocked the pink city.

"It was Darren Berry, who came to India for the first time, so he was a bit anxious. Things were blown out of proportion. As far as we are concerned we were undecided whether we should play or not after the tragedy.

"We left it to the security men and expected that they will do a good job. After talks with Lalit Modi we had no worries at all," he signed off.



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