Kochi: It would be a mistake to believe that India will enjoy an upper hand against the West Indies in the One-day series just because the Caribbean side has lost the Test series, skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni said.
India had won the series 2-0 but Dhoni said it was not an easy task to get that scoreline and the ODI format may actually suit the West Indies cricketers.
"The West Indies are a good team. You may say that the Test matches got over on the third day itself and it was easy but it was not. There were situations where we were under pressure and then we had to build a partnership. It was not an easy series as the scorecard suggest. ODI is a different squad and this may be suiting them as far as 50-50 overs match," Dhoni said at the pre-match press conference.
India looks to extend domination over Windies in ODIs
"It is important that we take the match with a right frame of mind and not thinking about whether the opposition played well or not."
Most of the matches in the ODI series against Australia were high score affairs. Asked if similar scores can be seen in the three-match series against the West Indies, Dhoni said it cannot be predicted at this stage.
"It all depends on how the wicket here is going to behave. Before the start it is not easy to say what will be the good score to win a match. We will see how the wicket behaves and then we plan and may be 260 or 280 could be a good score if it becomes flat. The dew factor has also to be taken and then an average of 230 or 240 could be an ideal score."
Dhoni said his players have worked hard on bowling in death overs and hoped that will show on the field gradually.
"What we have done after the Australia series, we are making the bowlers to do a death over bowling practice. But it still requires a little more time to reflect it on the field. But, they are putting in a lot of effort and we have seen a lot of improvement in that front. I am hoping that they come out well after the effort they are putting in," he said.Dhoni said there was no fixed slot for any batsman in the team and batting order maybe changed according to the situation but emphasised that number four slot was crucial.
"Number four is the platform where you consolidate the innings. It is a very huge slot and who will bat at four or five you will have to wait and watch. We do not give anyone a slot that you will bat at number four or five or so on. It all depends on the number of overs available.
"If a good partnership is going and they bat for 30 or 32 overs, then we shuffle our batting order. It depends on the situation," he said.
Talking about Yuvraj Singh's comeback, Dhoni said,"The conditions will be tough. You know it is very humid out there. So, I think it is very important that he enjoys the game without thinking about our performance in the Test series. One has to be in a good frame of mind."
Asked if a team for next World Cup was in mind out of the current lot of players.
"As of now, we have to get a pool of bowlers. That is what we are doing. Most of them have done well at the domestic levels and they have also played in few international matches and done well. But we have to see them in few more games to see as to how they bowl and then we will have a fair idea as to what needs to be done.
"We are trying to give the present lot chances and of course there are priority and at the same time you are looking at winning the ODI series. It is a slow process and it is good if they are able to get their chances in the middle and see how they handle pressure," Dhoni said.
Asked if he felt strange playing against Dwayne Bravo, who is his IPL teammate, Dhoni said,"We are now playing as rivals and it is not strange. At the same time, he has been very good for our team (CSK). IPL is a different cup of tea and it is a good contest but again you will have to see the West Indian side. They are not only good players, they are fantastic human beings. So, it is a good feel."
Asked If Indian team was under pressure to win ODIs against the West Indies after an emotional series and before embarking for South Africa tour, Dhoni said there was nothing new when it comes to pressure.
"You are talking about emotions but we will have to see which was difficult. Whenever an Indian team plays whichever the opposition, we play irrespective of where we are playing. We are always set to be under pressure and we always are set in a situation where it is difficult to win a series. It is another series for us after having won the Test series," Dhoni said.
We are more confident in limited overs format: Bravo
We are more confident in limited overs format: Bravo
Kochi: Seeking to put the humiliating Test-series defeat behind them, West Indies captain Dwayne Bravo today said his team is more comfortable and confident in playing the limited-overs format as it gives them freedom to express themselves.
"This format (ODIs) gives us more freedom. In Tests, it is about balance of skills and other things. It is a different story altogether here. The Test series loss is behind us now. We see ourselves more comfortable with this format and more confident too," Bravo told reporters on the eve of first one-dayer here.
Bravo, who joined the team for the ODI series, said they are aware of the challenge in front of them, and is expecting his players to put their best foot forward.
"We are aware of playing the world champions. We respect their strengths but at the same time we know as to what we need to do to win matches. It is not going to be easy. We will represent ourselves well in the coming one day series," he said.
The recent matches against Australia witnessed totals over 300 being scored frequently and Bravo said he would want his bowlers to bowl better than their Indian counterparts.
"It happened in different conditions and different venues and different bowlers as well. So, our bowlers are mostly in different mould of talents. If we can bowl better in this series than India, it will be better for us.
"I think One-day and T20 cricket gives you more freedom. One player could be turn out to be a match winner. That is why this format is rather easy for us playing be it against India or Sri Lanka. As long as you play smart in a 50-over match, then one could win the series," the allrounder said.
While the Caribbean side possess genuine quickies like Ravi Rampaul and Tino Best, Bravo wants his bowlers to not only look for pace but mix up their deliveries to get success in the Indian conditions."It is good we have two good fast bowlers in our ranks. They are used to bowling 140 and above. But, here in India, there are small fields and batting friendly pitches. One has to display his skills and not bowl with too much pace. Most of the guys who bowl sheer pace haven't been successful," Bravo said.
Bravo, who was appointed ODI captain earlier this year, said he would like to emulate his India opposite number Mahendra Singh Dhoni under whom he plays in the Indian Premier League.
"Most of the West Indian and Indian players have been together playing in IPL for different team. We are definitely going all out to give our best for our country. As a new captain, I will certainly try and emulate Dhoni in certain ways," the 30-year-old said.
Asked about the slump in West Indian cricket in the recent years, Bravo said sufficient opportunities should be given to the youngsters to showcase their talent.
"There are ups and downs in every players performance and as a team we have not been consistent and our senior players were not playing. But, now we have a new and young team and when there are changes in the team, there are more challenges.
"We need to get one group of players and give them chances as long as possible. Definitely, it is going to change. We have the talent to do it," he explained.
On sub-continent tracks, a potent spin attack is going to be crucial for the visitors and Bravo said the team will not only rely on Shane Shillingford but has other tweakers amongst its rank.
"Shane has been tested since the New Zealand tour and he has been there long before now. We expect the individual players to be in readiness and they are so. Shane has already passed the test regarding his action. As for Marlon he is going to be useful in this series," he said.
Asked about an Indian team without its recently retired batting legend Sachin Tendulkar, Bravo said: "Sachin has not been playing one day cricket for long. There are replacement players in the Indian team now perhaps since the world cup win by India. I do not think that his absence will affect Indian cricket as the others are there now."
