M.S. Dhoni is inclined to delve deeper into the issue of tackling drought than the talk of shifting IPL games out of Maharashtra to save water used on preparing cricket pitches.
“There has to be a long-term solution to this. It does not make any difference whether four or seven matches are played (in Maharashtra). The way forward is to think of ways to provide water where there is none. I have seen it all on television, water levels receding in dams.”
The India skipper was responding to a query about whether he felt staging IPL matches in Maharashtra was proper in the light of water scarcity for people in parts of the state ravaged by drought.
“For people to say whether IPL matches should be played here or not is a momentary thing. The thrust should be to move in a direction that will provide a long-term solution.”
He was answering questions at an event by Lava International Limited, naming him the brand ambassador.
Rising Pune Supergiants’s (RPS), schedule will be affected if home matches are moved out of the state by the BCCI, in response to a query from Mumbai High Court, dealing with a petition over water usage for cricket given the circumstances.
Under Dhoni’s leadership, RPS took off in IPL 2016 on a winning note. Among the six bowlers used to keep Mumbai Indians batsmen in check, off-spinner R. Ashwin bowled only one.
Asked about his reasoning for under-bowling an experienced hand, the captain said: “He is an accomplished bowler, he can bowl at any time and in any situation.”
Ashwin joined the attack in the 16th over of the match on Saturday night. “You know that he is a mature bowler. There was pressure on the MI middle and lower middle order. It was a very good platform for the leg-spinner (M.) Ashwin to come in. He was slightly under pressure. I thought it was more important to give him four overs, because in the longer run, I need him to take wickets.
“I thought that if I can make him bowl four overs at that point of time, it would give him the confidence to come back strongly in the second game.”
