Mahendra Singh Dhoni on way to his unbeaten 46 during the third ODI on Friday. (AP)

Gros Islet: India may have pulled off an important victory in the third one-day International (ODI) against the West Indies but skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni says the team was on the backfoot for most part of the match because of rain interruptions.

India, chasing a target that had to be revised twice, won by six wickets thanks to Dhoni’s last-over heroics, on Friday. Dhoni, adjudged Man of the Match, said it wasn’t easy adjusting to the target changes.

“Every time we thought we were in the game the Duckworth-Lewis method got us onto the backfoot. We couldn’t use our second Powerplay due to that,” said Dhoni.

The Indian skipper praised openers Gautam Gambhir and Dinesh Karthik for laying the foundation for a successful chase.

“It was a good effort by the openers. Once we get a good start we have the firepower to see the team home,” said Dhoni, who scored an unbeaten 46 runs.

He also felt that the bowlers did a good job.

“Getting Gayle out was the target and the bowlers did just that because there’s no way you can stop him other than getting him out,” said the skipper who would be looking to wrap up things in the last ODI at the same venue on Sunday.

Meanwhile, losing skipper Chris Gayle praised his opposite number but felt a bit more aggressiveness on the part of his bowlers could have helped the team win the match.

Frequent rain interruptions affected the West Indies’ momentum but Ramnaresh Sarwan ensured they registered a competitive 185 for seven from 27 overs.

However, thanks to a strong opening partnership between Karthik and Gambhir, and Dhoni’s efficient batting towards the end, India defeated the hosts to take an unassailable 2-1 lead in the four-match series.

“We felt we had our chance after scoring 185. But we needed to be a bit more attacking at the start of the Indian innings,” said Gayle at the post-match ceremony.

The skipper lamented the frequent stoppages due to rain.

“Weather made it difficult, but we can’t do anything about it. In the end, we tried to pull it off but credit to Dhoni, he saw the team home,” Gayle added.

Whatever the outcome of Sunday’s match one thing is for sure, Team India would take a lot of heart from their show in the Caribbean.

The Mahendra Singh Dhonis had an indifferent World Twenty20 in England and the team had come in for a lot of criticism what with talk of not everything being okay in the dressing room.

In the first match, the visitors put in a commanding performance with the bat but were run close by a resilient West Indies who threatened to overhaul the target and thereby cause serious damage to the Indians’ morale.

In the second match though the hosts came back stronger and faced little difficulty in levelling the series.