Chennai: Indian cricket captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni reckons that the upcoming four-Test series is his team’s “best chance” of upstaging Australia in their own backyard but will not take them lightly despite their recent slump.
India and Australia will square off from December 26 in a highly-anticipated series in which the visitors seem to have a good chance given the struggle through transition that Michael Clarke’s men are enduring.
On a day the Indian players head Down Under, Australia were upstaged in a Test at home by New Zealand for the first time in 26 years.
“Even last time we had a very good chance and we did perform well. It is not like that the opposition is not doing well (but) it will be the best chance for us,” Dhoni told reporters in a pre-departure press conference here.
“We have to play to the kind of talent that we have got and not worry about such things. We need to work on our strengths and weaknesses. We are more concerned about where we need to work on and not worry about what kind of opposition we are playing,” the skipper stated.
India’s two first- choice pacers — Praveen Kumar and Varun Aaron — were ousted even before the tour started but Dhoni insisted that led by the experienced Zaheer Khan, bowling will click Down Under.
“Our bowlers are talented. Of course, when you do not have your main bowlers you need a bit of time. Once the youngsters play more and more games, that is how they get experienced at the top level.
“I think talent wise we are there. We have a good exposure for the youngsters who are part of the side now touring Australia,” he said.
Asked which aspect of the game the Indian team needs to improve on, Dhoni said, “You want to improve in all departments always. You have seen cricketers who have been part of international cricket for more than 10 years still believe in improving and they keep improving. It is a constant process and everyone is part of it.” But he did hope that Indian fielders, certainly not the best in circuit by their own admission, would latch on to catches that come their way in Australia.
Despite the couple of injury setbacks before the tour, Dhoni hoped that players would remain fit through the gruelling tour, which also features a tri-nation ODI series in February-March.
“If you see the injury list, it is quite blank as of now. More often than not, the 15 or 16 who are in the team will be ready for selection to play. That takes a bit of pressure off and you need not worry about the playing eleven that much and most of players get their berths on merit.
“Apart from that, if you see, the batting lineup is quite the same. Bowling wise we have got Umesh Yadav who can bowl over 140 kmph. I think it looks like a good pack. We need to do well on the field rather than looking at it as to how we look on paper,” he said.
Tours to Australia almost always include a bit of controversy, the ugliest of which was perhaps the 2008 ‘monkeygate scandal’.
The two protagonists of the drama — Indian off-spinner Harbhajan Singh and Australian all-rounder Andrew Symonds — are both not part of the series this time and Dhoni hoped that there wouldn’t be any face-offs of that kind. “We will try to keep the fireworks off. It is not about the fireworks that go on on-the-field but still you know there are chances. Someone like Virender Sehwag start showing there will be fireworks on the field.” (PTI)