 Flintoff trudges off after a defiant knock of 51 on the final day |
Andrew Flintoff was critical of the England batting in both innings after his team were beaten in the Mohali Test by an excellent Indian outfit. Flintoff, stand-in captain in place of Michael Vaughan, said: "In the first innings we would have liked more than 300 but Sunday was the killer.
"Losing five wickets in the final session meant it was always going to be tough for us on the final day.
"The batters need to go on and score big runs like Rahul Dravid does."
Opposite number Dravid, who has a superb record against England, added 42 not out to his first innings score of 95 as India secured a nine-wicket win on the stroke of tea on the final day.
Flintoff said his team - missing four members of the Ashes side - were young, but were "beginning to come together."
The all-rounder said: "Some of our batters had never faced their spinners before this series but we are doing some things well.
"Winning would have been nice but [captaincy] is something that I'm enjoying.
"The side have been fantastic - they give us their all when they go out onto the pitch.
"The crowds have been great and the wicket has been a fantastic credit to the Punjab Cricket Association."
Coach Duncan Fletcher said England's lack of runs in the first innings had been crucial to the outcome of the match.
"It was not enough to put pressure on the opposition and that's an area we have to work at.
"But the crucial thing is that they don't put too much pressure on themselves. We must not harp on about it. Hopefully it will come right in Mumbai (Bombay - the venue of the final Test).
"Everyone must appreciate we've got a very inexperienced side out here."
He hinted that England might play two spinners there, with Liam Plunkett likely to be dropped.
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The crucial thing is that they don't put too much pressure on themselves
