JOIN USIndian skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni said taking 1-0 lead in a five-match series didn’t guarantee success and it was important to move ahead positively without concentrating too much on the result.
“I feel that in a five-match series 1-0 lead is not big, and what’s crucial is to pick the right team and move forward. We are not thinking about any tag line this time, 1-0 up, level the series etc. We need to pick the right team and for that we need to judge the nature of the wicket. We are focusing more on all these areas at this time,” said Dhoni on Saturday ahead of the third Test.
Dhoni hardly reveals the team combination, and stuck to the tradition on this instance as well. “I know there is a famous saying ‘why fix something when it is not broken.’ So the important thing is that we will see the wicket and decide what the best combination is. We will have to see the moisture level in the pitch before the game because it has been quite hot this summer in England. We will decide the team accordingly,” said Dhoni.
Dhoni continued to heap praise on Ravindra Jadeja. “The more he plays the better he gets, and that’s the psychology. He has got a lot of talent in himself, and he gets wickets or runs when he remains his natural self. The way he played in the last Test match will give a lot of confidence not only in this series but also for the rest of Test matches that he will play in his career. His presence also gives the liberty of playing another bowler, because he keeps it tight irrespective of the ball is turning or not. So that also gives ample rest to the other bowlers. He’s a vital instrument in our line-up as of now.”
The Jharkhand man also hoped for opener M Vijay to carry on with his good work. “He has left the ball well in this series. It is very crucial as an opener. At the same time, he has been positive, and he has driven the ball well and played his shots well. It will be important for him to continue to exploit those chances and bat without thinking too much about the runs. He needs to stay in the present, and adapt to the wicket given to him on that particular day and move forward gradually.”