Shaken but we'll bounce back

Team India skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni dismissed suggestions that Sachin Tendulkar's quest for his record hundredth international hundred is distracting the team. If Dhoni is to be believed, it is no big deal for his team, or the Little Master himself.

"It's good for us, but a big distraction for the media," Dhoni opined. Asked whether the players have discussed the issue in the lead-up to the second Test, Dhoni said. "It's not the first time that he's close to a milestone. We have seen the circumstances under which he could have easily achieved the 100th hundred, but it's not going his way.

"We all know it will happen. The quicker he achieves it, the so called pressure on him will ease."

Dhoni admitted that India's fifth straight loss overseas had shaken his side's self-belief, but assured fans that his side will bounce back. "We have always bounced back. The Australian team will have to keep the pressure on our batting line-up as well as bowlers," he said.

Asked to comment on Australia coach Mickey Arthur's comments that his side had dealt India a few psychological blows, Dhoni said: "If you see the kind of players we have got, it is a premature statement. We have not performed in the first Test, and we'll look to improve in the second."

Dhoni also said, "It's not something to get bogged down about because we all know the reasons as to what exactly happened and you learn a lot from the mistakes that you make. We may have lost the last five Test matches abroad, but we have still had plenty of positives in those games."

Asked about Gautam Gambhir's lack of form, Dhoni said: "Whenever we have done well, we have relied a lot on our opening pair. We don't really want to put pressure on them, because Sehwag is the kind of batsman who loves to go out there and play his strokes and looks to put pressure on the opposition. Both batsmen really complement each other. It's not a big worry."

Wouldn't it be a good idea if the two openers leave the deliveries outside the off stump alone? The skipper said: "It's always good to leave deliveries because initially the new ball does a bit. After the first 15-20 overs, it doesn't do as much. It is something we're working on, but you don't want someone like Sehwag to leave too many balls because he relishes the cut shot, and if it is in his area he'll play his shots."


Keywords:Team India skipper, Mahendra Singh Dhoni ,Sachin Tendulkar,Dhoni , Little Master , second Test, Australian team, bowlers, Australia coach ,Mickey Arthur, psychological blow, players , Gautam Gambhir, Sehwag .