Dhoni hails perfect performance

Stand-in captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni rated India’s comprehensive win in the second Test against Australia as one of the best in the country’s history.

The hosts completely outshone their celebrated rivals to clinch a 320-run win in Mohali that puts them 1-0 up in the four-Test series.

India’s grip on the game was absolute ever since they made 469 in the first innings, condemning Australia to only their second defeat since the 2005 Ashes in England.

Ricky Ponting’s side entered the final day’s play with just five wickets remaining, but anything other than an India win was highly unlikely after Zaheer Khan grabbed three wickets in his first two overs.

India wrapped up the rest of the tail before lunch and Dhoni - captaining India in a Test for the first time in the absence of injured skipper Anil Kumble - admitted the victory was one he would savour.

“We were up to the mark in all departments of the game,” Dhoni said.

“It's a good thing we won the toss and got a perfect start. Perhaps it was a little unfortunate to have lost Viru (Virender Sehwag) early on the first day.

“Had he stayed longer, we would have got a handful of runs on a track like this and we would have got to the 600-run mark.

Brett Lee congratulates Mahendra Singh Dhoni on India's victory with Gautam Gambhir next in line

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“We got a perfect start from the fast bowlers as well and then (leg-spinner Amit) Mishra bowled superbly.

“Overall, I think it was one of India's best matches in Test cricket.

“Nothing went wrong and we would like to be in this position more often, but that's hard. I guess credit goes to all the players and our support staff. I thought they were brilliant too.”

Despite the apparent ease with which his side claimed victory, Dhoni has warned his side of over-confidence against an Australia side that India have not beaten in a series since 2001.

“They have just had a few bad games and that does not take anything away from them,” he said.

“You can't say they have lost the edge; they still have the potential and they have a very talented side. And they are still the number one.

“They will come back hard at us in the next match. That's what you expect from Australia. It's going to be good cricket in the next two matches.”

Ponting admitted after the game his team had been outplayed in all departments.

Australia’s feted batting line-up, in particular, failed to fire, following their first-innings total of 268 with just 195 to slip to a crushing defeat on a wicket Ponting admitted was suited to batting.

“We were outplayed in this game, its as simple as that,” the Tasmanian said.

“Right from the first morning when India were nice and aggressive early, on a very good batting wicket.

“That took the momentum from us very early in the game and we have been under pressure and fighting to get back into the game from the very first morning.

“They thoroughly deserve to win this and they have thoroughly outplayed us in every aspect of the game.”

Ricky Ponting reflects on only Australia's second Test defeat since the 2005 Ashes series

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Ponting also poured cold water on talk of a rift between himself and fast bowler Brett Lee.

Much was made of Ponting's decision not to use Lee at the start of the fourth day. That decision preceded an animated conversation between the two and led to speculation of ill-feeling between the pair.

“It seems people are trying to make a bit more of that than it actually was,” Ponting said.

“I made Brett aware last night that he wasn't going to bowl first thing in the morning. It had all to do with wanting to take the pace off the ball early.

“India were on top at that stage and scoring runs quickly and our over-rate had dropped. Hence the reason for Mike Hussey to bowl - it's pretty unusual for Hussey to bowl in a Test match.

"I guess I didn't communicate that very well to Brett when he wanted to bowl just before lunch.

"At that stage, we were five overs down and he couldn't understand why he wasn't bowling. But I made the reasons clear to him from that point on.

"As soon as we got the over-rates down to more acceptable levels, Brett was back bowling and he did a reasonably good job for us."

Ponting said his team will take in a couple of days rest before beginning their preparations for the third Test in Dehli, which begins next Wednesday.

"We'll probably have a couple of days off after this,” he said. “Back-to-back Test matches are always fairly physically demanding.

"More importantly for us, it's not so much of a skills thing. In the middle of a Test series there is not much you can do about skills anyway.

"Its just a mindset thing and tidying up little aspects of the game. We just need a bit of fine-tuning."