<p>“The mindset is always crucial,” the South African skipper told newsmen. “A lot of our guys have been playing longer formats of the game. Both teams are feeling out things and we certainly want to start being well prepared. It’s just about the players backing their abilities and skills and going out and executing what they want to do tomorrow. If you start slowly in the shorter formats of the game, you can get found out.”<br /><br />Terming the presence of attacking leggie Imran Tahir in the squad as ‘something that I have dreamt of throughout my captaincy’, Smith added that the tussle for World Cup places would provide an extra edge to the series. “It is going to be another exciting series, as the Test series was,” he noted. “Both teams have some quality players. A number of players are still playing for spots in the World Cup squad, so it adds an extra incentive to the series. It is the last time we are playing in South Africa for a period of time, so obviously we would love to finish on a good note.”<br /><br />Kingsmead has a reputation of being difficult for batsmen under lights. “There are a lot of stories around Kingsmead going around at night,” Smith countered. “It depends on the surface. Lately, there has not been a lot of grass on the surface. It can swing a little bit at night but I expect it to be a very good surface. One-day wickets in South Africa have always been very good. They are generally well used and can be a little bit dry as the game goes on.”<br /><br />South Africa have struggled at Kingsmead in Test cricket in the last couple of years, though the last time they played India here in 2006, they shot the visitors out for just 91. “This one-day side has a lot of fresh faces, young guys trying to stake claims and I wouldn’t want to put that sort of mindset and baggage on them,” he said, adding that there had been no team discussions on the poor Durban record. “It’s my job to be the more mature figure around the group, give them the positive experiences they need and the guidance that will allow them to play their natural games.”<br /></p>
<p>“The mindset is always crucial,” the South African skipper told newsmen. “A lot of our guys have been playing longer formats of the game. Both teams are feeling out things and we certainly want to start being well prepared. It’s just about the players backing their abilities and skills and going out and executing what they want to do tomorrow. If you start slowly in the shorter formats of the game, you can get found out.”<br /><br />Terming the presence of attacking leggie Imran Tahir in the squad as ‘something that I have dreamt of throughout my captaincy’, Smith added that the tussle for World Cup places would provide an extra edge to the series. “It is going to be another exciting series, as the Test series was,” he noted. “Both teams have some quality players. A number of players are still playing for spots in the World Cup squad, so it adds an extra incentive to the series. It is the last time we are playing in South Africa for a period of time, so obviously we would love to finish on a good note.”<br /><br />Kingsmead has a reputation of being difficult for batsmen under lights. “There are a lot of stories around Kingsmead going around at night,” Smith countered. “It depends on the surface. Lately, there has not been a lot of grass on the surface. It can swing a little bit at night but I expect it to be a very good surface. One-day wickets in South Africa have always been very good. They are generally well used and can be a little bit dry as the game goes on.”<br /><br />South Africa have struggled at Kingsmead in Test cricket in the last couple of years, though the last time they played India here in 2006, they shot the visitors out for just 91. “This one-day side has a lot of fresh faces, young guys trying to stake claims and I wouldn’t want to put that sort of mindset and baggage on them,” he said, adding that there had been no team discussions on the poor Durban record. “It’s my job to be the more mature figure around the group, give them the positive experiences they need and the guidance that will allow them to play their natural games.”<br /></p>
