'We won't take Kiwis lightly'

The skipper admitted that especially in India, it was crucial to win tosses, adding that no matter what the rankings and results say, the hosts could ill afford to take New Zealand lightly in the Test series beginning on Thursday.

“The biggest mistake you can make is if you take any side lightly,” the Indian captain told newsmen. “They are a good side, they have got good international players who have performed almost everywhere. We are not thinking about what happened to them in Bangladesh (when New Zealand lost a one-day series 0-4 last month). We need to do well, we won’t take them lightly.”

Last month, India became the only team in the world to win three consecutive Tests chasing 200-plus targets. “It’s important to win the toss, I have lost quite a few,” Dhoni laughed. “In India, the fourth innings is the toughest period to score runs because the bounce is uneven. Chasing down 200 three times in a row definitely adds to the confidence of the batting unit as a whole, but in India, you want to bat first and push the opposition to bat last.”

More than the lack of consistent pace support for Zaheer Khan, Dhoni said the spate of injuries was what concerned him most. “All players are fit and available for selection as of now,” he revealed. “For me, the major concern is injuries, because we have the South African tour and the World Cup coming up. In the last few series, we have missed key players, especially the bowlers. That’s why Zaheer has had several partners, there have been constant changes due to injuries to fast bowlers.”

More than the number one ranking, winning matches was close to his heart, Dhoni admitted. “When you win matches, the ratings take care of themselves,” he observed. “Not many players in this side are bothered about the ranking; what we are bothered about is how we do on the field, whether we have prepared well for the game and planned well for the opposition, and put in 100 percent on the field. We want to win all the time, it does not matter whether you have won the last five or six Tests. If you are on a losing streak, you are desperate to win games; if you have been winning, it makes you desperate to sustain the winning momentum.”

Throwing his weight behind Rahul Dravid, Dhoni added, “His lack of runs is not a worry, he’s a great player. He’s always bounced back from situations like these. Once he settles in, he gets a big score.He’s looking very good in the nets and we are expecting good runs from him.”