Looking for an easy game: Dhoni

Agencies

New Delhi, 09 March 2011: It was just another match-eve press conference at the Ferozeshah Kotla ground but Mahendra Singh Dhoni chose to go beyond clichés. He sounded more truthful than plain diplomatic ahead of the World Cup clash against the Netherlands.

 

“We are looking for an easy game (on Wednesday). There are a few areas where we are looking to improve, especially how to get a set batsman out. A lot has been said of our fielding. I think our fielding would be quite the same in the tournament. I don’t see a drastic improvement in our fielding. When we come to batting, we would see if we can be more consistent.”

 

These words from the Indian skipper reflected the thoughts of a man well aware of the short comings of the team and not expecting any miracles.

 

It was good to find Dhoni stay away from the mundane replies like “no team can be taken lightly” or there are no easy games.” He preferred to say, “We are in the process (of improving) and not looking (only) at the results ahead.”

 

 

Dhoni, for one, was not trying to lead the followers of Indian cricket down the garden path and make them see dreams of a World Cup triumph. Instead, he spoke frankly about the fitness, rather the lack of it, of some of the players in the squad, and overall bowling that has been a constant source of worry.

 

He did not mention the temperamental S. Sreesanth but said, “a few key fast bowlers are missing. Ashish (Nehra) has been struggling when it comes to fitness. Zak (Zaheer Khan) is the only one. Munaf (Patel) has come back to the side after a long time. It’s a very different fast bowling attack. Just seeing if two-plus-two (two pace bowlers and two specialist spinners) works.

 

“A lot has been said of our bowling but we are showing signs of improvement and I’m sure we will peak at the right time and the bowlers will definitely do their job. Hopefully we will have our best bowling attack by the time the league stage ends."

 

On the question of playing young off-spinner R. Ashwin, Dhoni said, “If our bowling does not click, he is an option. It’s not that he bowls well only against left-handers. He’s a very good bowler and has done really well for us. It’s just a matter of time. We just want to pick the best players, especially the bowlers.”

 

The batting, obviously, is India’s strength in the competition. So far, most of the batsmen, barring Yusuf Pathan, have spent reasonable time at the crease. Dhoni, in favour of Pathan getting opportunities to play for long, almost ruled out the possibility of giving Suresh Raina a chance on Wednesday.

 

“Quite difficult to play Raina in the next game. In that case, we have to request Virat (Kohli), Gautam (Gambhir) or (Virender) Sehwag to take rest, which none of them would like because it’s their home ground.”

 

Dhoni’s opposite number, the Netherlands skipper Peter Borren was realistic about the team’s prospect against the host and sounded optimistic ahead of the ‘big’ match.

 

“You’ve got to take your chances against a strong country like India. We know that India’s fielding is one area we can take advantage of.”

 

The Netherlands, which made an impression during the narrow loss to England in the opener, suffered two successive defeats with margins of over 200 runs and remains the only other team apart from Kenya not to win a game so far in the competition.

 

Disappointed but not disheartened, Borren said, “Realistically, we need to take on the opposition. It’s a big challenge. Playing these guys in their conditions is going to be a task but we will try to create a surprise. We are a good side. We need to bowl a disciplined line and do some extraordinary catching and fielding.”