COLOMBO: Indian captain MS Dhoni heads into the Super Eights stage of the World Twenty20 this week delighted to have the enviable problem of which player to leave out.
A revamped India condemned England to their heaviest T20 defeat – by 90 runs – in Colombo on Sunday after bowling the defending champions out for just 80.
India rested three regulars – Zaheer Khan, Ravichandran Ashwin and Virender Sehwag – for the match because both teams had already qualified for the Super Eights.
Veteran off-spinner Harbhajan Singh marked his return to the Indian team after a year with 4-12, including a wicket maiden in his first over, and leg-spinner Piyush Chawla took 2-13.
With Ashwin, Harbhajan and Chawla fighting for the spinners’ spots in the Super Eights and a settled batting order to choose from, Dhoni said his team was well prepared for the next battle.
“We do have a problem of plenty,” Dhoni said. “But I can assure you, a problem of plenty is better than not having that one extra guy.
“But bigger teams await us and we need to be consistent. In every match, we have to be at our best. Hopefully, we will do that in the next three matches.”
India face Australia, South Africa and either Pakistan or Bangladesh in what is being touted as the “group of death”, from which the top two will advance to the semifinals.
The Indian skipper refused to speculate which spinners he will pick in future.
“Frankly, I don’t know who will play,” Dhoni said. “But I am quite happy with the problem of plenty. The selection will depend on the wicket. If it’s a fresh and hard-rolled wicket, spinners may not be that effective.
India’s first Super Eights match is against Australia on Friday. They will remain in Colombo for the next stage at the familiar Premadasa Stadium. (AFP)
