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Players not bothered: Dhoni

Special Correspondent

India has traditionally done well at Adelaide
Dhoni says Kumble is very clear in his thoughts

— PHOTO: AFP

EXUDING CONFIDENCE: M.S. Dhoni feels that the ODI team selection has not affected the morale of the players ahead of the Adelaide Test.

Adelaide: M.S. Dhoni, India’s Test vice-captain, was the latest to dismiss the theory that the selection of the one-day side had gravely altered team morale, saying in a fetching turn of phrase that “it has affected the journalists more than us.”

Said the Indian one-day captain: “With the kind of experience our players have, they don’t really bother about what’s going on in the media.”

Frustrating time

Nothing need be read from it, but Sourav Ganguly, dropped from the one-day squad, had a frustrating time at the nets on Tuesday. Missing was the decision in footwork, such a striking facet of his batting since his return to the Indian team.

The left-hander swished his bat over the stumps after being ‘dismissed’, and banged a ball into the turf another time. But, these were isolated incidents in an afternoon session of energy and enjoyment. Ishant Sharma’s battle with Virender Sehwag was entertaining as was V.R.V. Singh’s joust with V.V.S. Laxman. The spoils were shared in both contests.

Rahul Dravid, who constructed an epic 233 here at the Adelaide Oval in 2003, played several solid pull-strokes, while Sachin Tendulkar had a knock-down session with the coach-in-waiting, Gary Kirsten.

“We have to get back to normal,” said Dhoni, asked if India would draw from the four-wicket win here in the last series. “It doesn’t matter how well you’ve done on a ground, it depends on how you play those five days and how many consecutive sessions you win. Perth has certainly given us confidence, and if you look at history, we’ve done well here.”

Moral victory

The wicketkeeper-batsman said it “would be a moral victory (if India levelled the series) because we didn’t let Australia beat us. We have played tough cricket and that’s good for the team’s morale.”

Asked what he had learnt as Anil Kumble’s understudy, Dhoni said, “Communication is very important. When somebody misses out, you have to speak to them. He is very clear about what he expects from the team. Having played for 18 years, he is good at strategy and those sorts of things.

Plenty to learn

“Not just Anil bhai, if you see the side there are so many former captains. Sourav, who was one of the greatest, Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, and Sehwag. You learn from what they think about the game, what their plans are in crucial situations. It’s about how open-minded you are, how open to seeking and taking opinions you are.”

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