"It’s probably been the toughest six to eight weeks of my career so far so to score a hundred like I did (in the final Test) meant a heck of a lot to me," said Pietersen.
"I don’t think captaining any nation in any sport is an easy job and you acknowledge when you take on the job that it’s going to be very hard at times."
"These last two months have been pretty difficult, so you can look at the positives and when the good times come back again you can enjoy them a lot more."
"You learn a lot about individuals," he revealed. "Michael Vaughan and Paul Collingwood, blokes I played under, said that when you go away you see how people operate."
"I’ve learned a lot. It’s been a very interesting first two Tests to skipper away from home and I’ve enjoyed it – it’s been a great challenge out in India."
"We unfortunately come unstuck but we’ve all had a great time out here and everyone has been so hospitable."
Dhoni said: "It would have been good to have had at least a three-match series."
"In a two-Test series, if you lose the first Test of an away series it’s really tough to come back because teams will take advantage of the home ground and prepare a wicket accordingly. A three-Test series is a good length because five becomes a bit too much."