RAJKOT: Captain Rahul Dravid urged his top order batsmen to realise the importance of preserving their wicket after India’s narrow 5-run loss to Sri Lanka in the second one-day international here on Sunday.

“The defeat is a lesson for us. We needed someone who could go on to make a big score, but that did not happen and we lost,” Dravid said. “Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly batted well and it looked okay when they were there. But when that stand was broken we got into some trouble. Then Mahendra Dhoni and Dinesh Kaarthick took up the job but the dismissal of Kaarthick was the turning point.”

Ganguly (62) and Tendulkar (54) featured in a 100-run stand for the third wicket before both were dismissed in quick succession. Kaarthick made 31 before he was trapped leg before by Lasith Malinga while trying an almighty heave. He added 66 runs with Dhoni, who made 48 before being dismissed by Sanath Jayasuriya off the penultimate ball.

Dravid also defended leg-spinner Anil Kumble, who went wicket-less while conceding 59 runs, and out-of-form batsman Virender Sehwag who made 19 before being dismissed to a poor shot to put India in trouble.

“Anil bowled well in his first spell but gave away a few runs in the slog phase which can happen to any bowler,” he said. “Viru himself would have been unhappy at the way he lost his wicket after looking good.”

Defending his decision to field first, the Indian captain said there was moisture underneath the surface of the track and he wanted his bowlers to make first use.

“We bowled well and got them under pressure but Kumar Sangakkara batted till the end. But the score of 257 was a chaseable target,” he said.

Dravid acknowledged that the Lankans were a better fielding side than the hosts. “They fielded better than us but we were not bad. The two catches they took in the end (to send back Harbhajan Singh and Dhoni) were crucial ones and they also threw well from the deep,” he said.

Sri Lankan captain Mahela Jayawardene felt that the dismissal of Tendulkar was the turning point. “Sachin’s wicket was the turning point as he was batting very well. We wanted to drag the game in order to get his wicket and succeeded.”