Former Pakistan skipper Wasim Akram has slammed India's negative body language on crucial Day 4 of series-opening Test and questioned MS Dhoni's captaincy.

By Joshua Nath

After suffering a humiliating 122-run loss in Melbourne on Friday, MS Dhoni and his men are under fire. Losing five overseas Tests on-the-trot has invited censure and the captain’s role is now under the scanner.

Pakistan legend Wasim Akram has slammed Dhoni’s captaincy, criticizing his field positioning and his inability to motivate the team’s younger lot when the chips were down at the MCG.

“Even after the dismal England tour, I said Dhoni is a good captain and is learning. At MCG, he was mum on the field with very few words of encouragement to the bowlers. I think standing quiet behind the wickets and inspiring the bowlers with words of wisdom is still not part of our sub-continental culture,” said Akram in an exclusive chat with Mobile ESPN from Melbourne on Friday.

Had India converted the chance of taming the Aussies, once they were 27 for 4 in the second innings, the result could have been different. Akram is appalled at the way India allowed the game to drift by some serious errors in field placing.

“I did not understand Dhoni’s plans. When you are getting bounce and movement from an uneven deck, why do you have a deep point and not a third man? You will be hit anyway if you are bowling poorly. Somebody has to put some sense into the senior players and the bowlers that you cannot contain without a third man in place on a bouncy track. Hopefully, Dhoni will learn from this mistake now,” Akram said.

Akram also questioned India’s defensive attitude on the fourth day morning when Michael Hussey was the only accomplished batsman at the crease.

“I found India’s approach negative when they came out to bowl on Day 4. Nobody appealed when in the first few overs Hussey was caught plumb in front off Umesh Yadav. It showed Indians had already accepted they will be chasing a bigger score than just 230-240,” Akram said.

Akram is not surprised India have conceded an early 1-0 lead in the four-Test series. He has indicated India’s vulnerability while previewing the series for espnstar.com.

“It is natural struggle for subcontinent teams to find their bearings in the first few games. It does not matter if they have arrived 10 days earlier to prepare or 15 days earlier. On an average, it does take 3-4 weeks at least to get fully acclimatized to the Australian conditions. I only hope that India will come hard at the marauding Aussies come the New Year Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground. With this experience at the MCG, I am sure they will!” the 45-year-old concluded.