“A victory is like winning a million verbal duels,” India’s one-day captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni has said, summing up his team’s recent victory over Australia in the tri-series marked by verbal attacks by some Australian players against Harbhajan Singh and others.

“We gave it back to them, and how!” he was quoted as saying in the latest edition of Tehelka magazine.
Dhoni said he had refrained from reacting to Australian provocation as he knew his team could put it across the World champions.

“I believe in action more than words. I was repeatedly hounded by Indian reporters, who wanted my reaction on repeated insinuations by some top members of the Australian team. But I said nothing. The best answer is your performance.”

“I knew we would win and hence refrained from reacting. I knew we would give it back to them at an appropriate time.”

Asked how he felt to actually see his hero Adam Gilchrist retire during the series, Dhoni said, “I felt sad, really sad. But then, I also felt happy because he would be a part of the IPL and we will have more of this legendary cricketer. He is not finished yet.”

The Jharkhand wicketkeeper-batsman, who play-ed a key role in the team’s historic triumph Down Under, said he missed home food and his two pet dogs during the long tour.

“I missed my home food and Jara and Sam, my two dogs. In fact, when I entered home, I just rushed for them even before meeting my family members,” Dhoni said.

The captain rated Praveen Kumar as a fine prospect for Indian cricket and said Delhi speedster Ishant Sharma was also good. “Praveen swings the ball amazingly. Ishant is good but he needs to watch his fitness,” he said.
Dhoni also said that he would soon set up a cricket academy in his home town Ranchi. “But I do not think only about cricket. We are a top hockey state and the game should get its due importance. I supported the hockey players who protested when we were showered with cash awards after the T20 win and they got nothing after winning the Asia Cup.”

Asked what his biggest dream as a cricketer was, he said, “It has to be the World Cup, the World Cup and nothing else.”

Dhoni said stardom had taken his privacy away and he could no longer move freely in his home town. “I’ve primarily lost my privacy, but I am enjoying it thoroughly. I guess I cannot move freely any more.”

On why he gave away his shirt to a young fan in South Africa, he said, “It was a kind of thanksgiving to that small child who constantly looked at me, hoping that I would pick him up and take him round the field. He was watching us from the very first day. I had to thank him. The best option was to give him my shirt.”