Dhoni hints at quitting after series defeat

London, Aug 18 (IANS) India skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni hinted at stepping down as the captain following his team's 1-3 Test series loss to England.

India lost The Oval Test by an innings and 244 runs here Sunday, triggering questions over Dhoni's future as the India captain. 

Asked if he has taken the team as far as he could, Dhoni said: "Maybe, yes."

"You'll have to wait and watch. If I'm strong enough or not strong enough, you'll have to wait and get the news," Dhoni was quoted as saying by BBC Test Match Special.

Dhoni, 33, took over the Test team in 2008 after leading India to an emphatic win in the inaugural World Twenty20 in 2007. He has led the team in 58 Tests with a record 27 wins.

Under Dhoni, India topped the world Test rankings from late 2009 until the summer of 2011, a period in which he also led the team to victory in the World Cup.

But India's slide started with surrendering their No.1 Test rankings with a 4-0 whitewash in England in 2011. 

In the current series, India took a 1-0 lead by winning the Lord's Test. But from then on things worsened for the visitors, who suffered three consecutive losses, including two innings defeats. They failed 200 in five consecutive attempts that ended with them being bowled out for 94 inside 30 overs at The Oval here Sunday.

"The last three Tests, we were not up to the mark," said Dhoni, who has scored 4,808 runs in 88 Tests. "We never competed. Today's batting was a reflection of a loss of confidence. It's disappointing."

"Right from the start, our batsmen haven't performed - it was the lower order. Later on in the series, when the lower order didn't perform, we saw there wasn't enough runs on the board," said Dhoni.

Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar also blasted the team for the tame surrender. 

"I don't know what to say. What can you say? You can get angry, say harsh things, but what good will it do? If you do not want to be playing Test cricket for India, quit. Just play limited-overs cricket. You should not be embarrassing your country like that," said Gavaskar.

India's last five Test series:

July-August 2014: England (away) - lost 3-1 (5 Tests)
February 2014: New Zealand (away) - lost 1-0 (2 Tests)
December 2013: South Africa (away) - lost 1-0 (2 Tests)
November 2013: West Indies (home) - won 2-0 (2 Tests)
February-March 2013: Australia (home) - won 4-0 (4 Tests)