“The problem with the Indian team is that we are expected to win each and every game, and are forced to play with our best eleven available,” the Indian captain told newsmen on Tuesday. “So it’s difficult to conserve players for the future and still try to win games. We will have to be smart. We might be going well and suddenly, just before the World Cup, we might see key fast bowlers injured. Under these sub-continental conditions, it’s important to have your fast bowlers who are smart and experienced.
“We need to check a month before the World Cup what the scene is. We have a jam-packed schedule, and every fourth day we have a new injury cropping up. We try to rotate our players, we can’t just stick to our 15. We need a bigger pool so that we can avoid big injuries to players and get the best 15 for the World Cup.”
Dhoni said he was confident of Virender Sehwag taking the field for Wednesday’s second one-dayer. “He did bat today but with so much of hard work put in today, we will have to see how the back shapes up tomorrow.”
India went in with just three specialist bowlers, all seamers, in Jaipur. Asked if the dew had forced his hand in leaving out both his specialist spinners, Dhoni replied, “We are looking to strengthen our batting line-up so that we can bat freely and look to score big runs. Jadeja has shaped up really well, he’s the kind of guy who can bowl ten overs in every game. Since Harbhajan is not here, it has given us the opportunity to use this approach.”
Crediting coach Gary Kirsten with playing a huge role in India’s successes, Dhoni observed, “He didn’t come in with any fixed mindset. He didn’t come in saying this is how I will coach the Indian team. He learnt what Indian cricket is all about, what the culture is and how individuals work in the side. Accordingly he made strategies. We are really comfortable with the dressing room atmosphere, and he doesn’t panic so easily. The best thing about him is the mindset and the way he changed himself to accommodate the team.”