Focus on series win, not rankings: Dhoni
Posted on Dec 01, 2009 at 15:36 | Updated Dec 01, 2009 at 19:11
2 Comments
Mumbai: Indian skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni said Tuesday his team was not giving much thought to the prospect of becoming world's number one Test side as it would only add to the pressure when they take on Sri Lanka in the third and final match starting here Wednesday.
Leading 1-0 in the series, a win in the match would catapult India to the top of the ICC list but Dhoni said thinking about the rankings would not let the side focus on the task at hand.
"Winning the series is important but at the end of the day, if we do that, it will reflect in the ratings. We are not thinking about the ratings because we don't really want to play under pressure," Dhoni said on the eve of the third and final Test at the Brabourne Stadium here.
"You want to play your natural game, the whole team wants to play according to the game-plan. We don't really think about the ratings because if we know that if we keep winning the games, if we keep playing well, the ratings will take care of themselves," Dhoni said.
Even a drawn encounter would clinch the series for the hosts after their comprehensive victory by an innings in the second match at Kanpur. The high-scoring first Test at Ahmedabad was drawn.
Dhoni said the first session of play would be crucial as the seam bowlers are expected to get some help.
"The first session, one to one and a half hours, will be crucial. That's the time the seamers will get a bit of help.
"Again in the evening because this time of the year fast bowlers will, if they maintain the ball, be able to swing the ball for the least half an hour or so," he said.
Dhoni described the track at the Brabourne Stadium, hosting its first Test in 36 years, as a typical Mumbai wicket with a bit of bounce for the speedsters initially before it starts helping the slow bowlers.
"It looks like a normal Mumbai track, it's the same soil. There will be better bounce for the fast bowlers and as the game progresses you will see spinners coming into action. You will see a bit of turn with bounce. That's what spinners like.
"Overall it looks a good track."
| Ads by Google |
Total Comments: 2
Read All Comments | Post Comment
Posted By ravis123
A small injury to linger finger (or elsewhere !) SREESANTH should play his natural game--terrorising, tempting and run-denying swing &
Read Comment
Posted By s.raghavan
Good thinking by the Cool captain! Winning the series is the top-most priority and other things take their own course.The
Read Comment