Indian bowlers will have to adjust their line and length on a bouncy Kensington Oval pitch, says skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni. Leading 1-0 in the three-match Test series against the West Indies after settle the opener by 63 runs, Dhoni said:It's significant that pacers adapt themselves for on a wicket with more bounce, they need to bowl fuller to get bowled and lbw dismissals.
Having recognized the pitch as one with extra zip, Dhoni also said he would prefer to go with a 3-1 bowling option in the Test. It implies that leg-spinner Amit Mishra will make way for Munaf Patel, who seems to have recovered from his elbow injury as he bowled at full tilt in the nets on Sunday.
Ishant Sharma and Praveen Kumar will be two other average pacers while Harbhajan Singh will be the lone spinner. Dhoni had little doubt that Ishant and Praveen will work up a good mixture and pose threat to the host batsmen.
Ishant has played a lot of Test matches and knows what to do to dissimilar batsmen. He is one of our main bowlers and shapes an ideal mixture with Praveen Kumar.They are different also for Praveen swings the ball while Ishant is a back-of-length bowler.
Dhoni also praised Harbhajan who is just four wickets away from completion the 400-wicket haul.He is close to another landmark - 100 Test matches for India. He leads the spinners pack and has also done very well in batting. He is a good, aggressive character to have and when you need a get through, you always find Bhajji there eager to provide one for the team,said Dhoni.
Dhoni supposed the runs will come in spurts in this Test match because a captain tends to set aggressive fields on a bouncy pitch.From time to time, before you realize, there is a hell lot of a score in half a session. Average run-rate is slightly up on a wicket such as this one. It puts force on the bowlers and fielders to keep up the good work all the time.
Dhoni said most of the times his players have reacted well to pressure.I am fortunate to have such a good side. Irrespective of which format you are playing, you need 15 characters that respond to your strategy; know how to adapt themselves for captain. I am very fortunate that players have forever given their 100 per cent to me. You can't really win all the games. All you can do is to prepare well and do well on the field.
Dhoni said every player's individuality is confident within the set-up.Every nature is different in his own way. We respect them to be them. You can change yourself for a fraction of a time but on a longer basis you can't do it,Dhoni said.We need to accept each in the way they are. And they have been superb with their timing, he added.
In the present bunch, there are at least four cricketers who are young and standing in for seniors but Dhoni believed they shouldn't be desperate in the knowledge that they have limited time with the team.