You start questioning yourself when you are losing: Dhoni

Mar 05, 2013 |

Hyderabad

On a high after two consecutive Test wins, Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni today admitted that he had started questioning himself and was under a lot of pressure when the team was on a losing spree against England and Australia recently.

“It becomes tough. You start questioning yourself. That’s the reason all of us are human beings and the only ones who say that they don't get bothered (by defeats) are the ones who lie,” Dhoni told reporters at the post-match media conference after winning the second Test against Australia.

“If you go through a tough situation, it’s bound to happen. You will feel the pressure but at the end of the day, you want to do well for your country. In that scenario, nothing works for you but you have to remain focused and not let the extra negative thoughts to creep in.

“As human beings, why we are so developed is because of the curiosity and emotional connect in our nature,” he replied to a query on how he was feeling after 0-8 whitewash in England and Australia.

Reminded about becoming the Indian skipper with most number of Test wins (22), surpassing Sourav Ganguly, Dhoni seemed as if he couldn’t care less.

“I think it’s over-rated and hyped. Because, the way I see the dressing room now, I don’t see them (players) bothered about who has won how many games. What’s important is to win Test matches. The more consistent we are, better it is for the side. Numbers don’t really matter to us.”

There has been a trend of late about teams’ winning in their own backyard and Dhoni attributed it to the amount of cricket one plays at home.

“I am always asked a question in England and Australia about why we don’t prepare sporting wickets. One has to realise that we play 80 per cent of our cricket at home and we have to be really good in those conditions. And then when we play abroad, the conditions are extremely different and that’s a challenge. If every wicket becomes same, then Test cricket won’t be challenging,” he insisted.

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