"I want my guys to enjoy the game," Dhoni said on Monday, a day before the start of the Twenty20 World Cup. "The main problem is that we are too much into cricket and sometimes don't enjoy it enough.
"Leadership is about how you get the best out of everyone. As captain, you can only take decisions but how they respond to make it work is up to the players. It is very challenging to be the captain, and I rely on my 14 players totally. Good captains are made by their teams. A captain can't influence the game in a big way, generally speaking."
Expanding on the captaincy theme, he added, "If you have played for a while, sub-consciously you tend to read the game. Not just what the opposition captain is planning, but also what bowlers are planning or what a batsman's thinking. You need to back yourself, back your instincts."
Reflecting on the format, he went on, "Twenty20 is a fast game, you don't have time to get set. It's pure entertainment for the spectators. This one is definitely for the crowd. In this tournament, you can expect high-scoring games and exciting cricket. There's going to be a lot of action and you will never have a dull moment."
India are without their three batting superstars, so how does that affect the side? "We have a young side, players who have been in the reckoning for a while now. We have a lot of options, 12 out of 15 can both bat and bowl, which means the chance of your doing well are that much better. There is a lot of determination in the ranks, and we are hopeful of doing well."
A majority of the squad arrived from London on Monday morning, as did the 'specialists' from Mumbai. "We have less than 48 hours to formulate strategies. It is important to have an open mind, to have Plans B and C in place as well. It's crucial to discuss ideas, sum up and take the best options. We have played just one Twenty20 international, but we did have a domestic competition last year. It's all about how the guys adapt and generally, the new breed is quite good at adapting."
Despite the absence of Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly and Rahul Dravid, the Indian batting looks formidable. "It does look good on paper, but that hardly matters. What matters is for everyone to contribute. We have to play as a unit. Most of the guys that have come in for this competition have played with each other at the domestic and under-19 levels, so gelling will not be an issue at all."
Star presence
Reflecting on the presence of Virender Sehwag and Harbhajan Singh, Dhoni observed, "Twenty20 is a different game, you can't call this a comeback. Sehwag's game is suited to this format. Harbhajan is an experienced bowler with a lot of variations. They both have the experience and the class. But this tournament can't be considered a platform for them to return to the team, because you can't judge a batsman or a bowler in this form of the game.
"I don't think Twenty20 is totally a batsman's game. Bowlers can make a mark too and fielding can make a huge difference. Our fielding is not all that bad. This team has a lot of youngsters, they are more agile. Hopefully, we will see a good standard of fielding."