Dhoni looking at the positives
India skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni believes that the experience his players gain from playing in the Indian Premier League will offset the low number of T20 matches that the national team plays. The 2007 World Twenty20-winning captain believes that in the shortest format of the game there is no such thing as a favourite, it rather depends on seizing opportunities at crucial moments.
“Most of the teams don't play a lot of T20s," Dhoni said while speaking at a press conference at the team hotel in the capital yesterday. "At the same time, we have got the IPL where we have played with the best players and the standard there is as high as international standard so that really amounts to the experience we need."
Dhoni's side have not been in very good form in the other shorter format of the game -- the one-dayers. In Dhoni's absence, Virat Kohli led the side but the team failed to make it to the final in the recent Asia Cup held in the country. Dhoni feels his injury has given him time to freshen up for the challenge of the World Twenty20.
"For me, the positive side was to get a bit of rest. I was at home with no work. It was something that I appreciate. You don't want to get injured and miss a series. So overall, a good 10-12 days off," said Dhoni.
The India captain knows that they are in a tough group -- also including former champions Pakistan and West Indies and the team-in-form, Australia. However, Dhoni believes that the success or the lack of it in T20s depends more on exploiting the conditions and making the best use of the available resources.
"Our group is quite a competitive one so all the matches will be important. But we have a couple of warm-up games before our first game, so we will be looking towards using those warm-ups to sort out our team's balance," said Dhoni.
Dhoni feels that a change of format could be ideal for his side, who have been performing below-par, to turn their fortunes and spring a surprise.
"I think we have had to endure tough times recently but even in these situations it's not like we haven't played good cricket,” Dhoni felt. “So I think we are on the way up, and that's where you want to be."
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