Dhoni eyes 1-1 result

Aug 02, 2010 |

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Aug. 2: India have not lost a Test series under M.S. Dhoni, but proceedings in this series have not inspired confidence. The bowling and fielding has to be on top to spark a comeback against a side who have been always been thorny opponents at home.

“The best result from here is to force a 1-1 result. It will be a big challenge. We have to maintain whatever momentum we got from the second Test. We will have to be the team that takes the initiative We have to careful about how aggressive we can get,” explained Dhoni.

Injuries to Gautam Gambhir and Harbhajan Singh have further hampered th cause. It is a dire situation and one that asks for better handling of the situation. Fielding a varied bowling combination is an option, but Dhoni ruled that out.

“You have to see if that’s the best line up we have. It does not look like an outright seaming track. You have to keep in mind the second innings also. There will be a discussion with the senior players and the coach but as if now, it’s a bit unlikely that we will play with a 3-1 combination,” said Dhoni. One of India’s potent weapons in recent time has been their ability to get reverse swing going. The Kookaburra ball does not lend itself to reverse as easily as the SG ball.

“We have not been able to get reverse swing. One of the reasons being, that we have bowled on fresh tracks. To get this ball to reverse is a bit difficult unless the wicket is scuffed up or dry. But in this game we are hoping to get it going,” noted Dhoni. Of the 15 wickets India have managed so far, nine have been bagged by the medium pacers.

Another problem facing the thinktank is the choice of Suresh Raina over Yuvraj. The skipper remained non-committal and also ruled out the possibility of a non-regular opener partnering Virender Sehwag. The team have also officially requested the organisers to increase the size of the sightscreen. “We have asked that the screen on the scoreboard end be increased as Sachin is short and when you have a tall bowler angling across it becomes a bit tough to sight the ball. We have asked in advance so that there are no complications during the game,” Dhoni added.

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