Quantcast

Fine margins decided huge series: Lehmann

Australia's coach praises his team for their attitude and endeavour, reflects on some costly moments

Coach Darren Lehmann has lamented various moments that scuppered Australia's bid for a rare Test series win in Asia, but he couldn't fault the new approach of his new-look side.

The tourists came close to inflicting India's first Test series loss at home since 2012 and recorded Australia's first Test win in India since 2004, but ultimately had to settle for a 2-1 series defeat.

Led by determined skipper Steve Smith, who finished the leading run-scorer for the series with 499 runs, there was a sense of resilience and adaptability absent during failed tours of Asia in recent years.

Quick Single: Lehmann praises, challenges Maxwell

A successful stonewall in the third Test, achieved by Peter Handscomb and Shaun Marsh, was unlike anything Australia have achieved since 2011.

Lehmann paid tribute to the shift in attitude, driven by Smith, that prioritised defence and allowed his team to compete against the top-ranked Test side.

"They've been difficult conditions ... (but) they haven't whinged once, they've been just getting on with the game," Lehmann said prior to the squad's departure from Dharamsala.

Quick Single: Kohli moves to clarify 'friendship' comments

"They've copped a lot from the Indian media. I've been pleased with the way they have handled it.

"We have decided we are going a different way about the way we play. Obviously we're less aggressive than we have been in the past.

"The young group will grow. They will get better, we've just got to keep learning."

Border-Gavaskar 2017: an epic series in 90secs

Australia's next major Test assignment will be the 2017-18 Ashes, four years after Lehmann's side whitewashed England with a hostile and aggressive style of play.

Lehmann noted the difference between the current team and the one from four years ago, which was full of senior players hurting from three consecutive Ashes series defeats.

And he said even his mindset as coach has changed in the years since.

Quick Single: Ticket prices, on-sale dates for Ashes

"No, I don't think the group is at that stage (to play aggressively like four years ago)," Lehmann said. "That group back then was right at that stage.

"I mean, they copped a lot for a few years so they wanted to give some back.

"I think the other style was right for that group at the time but this group wants to play a different way and that's OK as well.

"I think you have got to change as a coach, change as a captain, and players."

Test wrap: Clinical India seal Border-Gavaskar

The history books will show India cruised to an eight-wicket victory in the series decider but Lehmann knows losses in Bengaluru and Dharamsala could well have been victories if not for a couple of false strokes and dropped catches.

"We were disappointing in a couple of Test matches. We got so close yet so far. One hundred runs short in this game and probably 80 runs in Bangalore," he said.

"If we made better decisions with the bat, we're getting those (wins).

"We weren't good enough in this series ... we missed big opportunities to win the series.

Quick Single: Legends slam Kohli for parting shot

"I'm pleased and proud of the lads ... we just fell short in the crucial stages."

Many of the squad will take part in the Indian Premier League, starting next week.

Australia's next assignment is in June, when they travel to England for the Champions Trophy.