India will be looking to start their new season with a win against Sri Lanka in the first match of the five-match one-day series starting today in Hambantota, says a report in The Hindu.
India has been out of action from the international arena since their one-off T20 in South Africa. Sri Lankan captain Mahela Jayawardene is upbeat about his team’s chances in the series.
Jayawardene said, “We have just finished a good series against Pakistan. It is now for us to build on the good work. We have got a few new players in the squad, this series would be a good opportunity for them.”
Indian captain MS Dhoni said that getting used to the conditions will be the key for his team’s success in the first match of the one-day series to be played in Hambantota, says a report in The Hindustan Times.
“It's a new venue. Conditions change in the afternoon, it's quite windy out here. The strong winds can be a factor. Not only the bowlers, but the batsmen and the fielders also need to get used to the conditions. This is a big field. So, the fielders will have to see that batsmen do not make twos into threes which is quite normal in a one-day game. It's good we are practising under lights today, so we will get to know what to expect in the second innings”, said Dhoni.
Dhoni also said that the long break has helped the team as everyone is looking fresh and up for a challenge.
“Everybody is looking fresh. Everyone is putting in a lot of effort. There is more energy. This increased energy and freshness is definitely a big plus for us. We are mentally and physically fresh after this rest. During this break we got time to work on our fitness”, he said. Acclimatize
MS Dhoni on the responsibility on him as a captain to improve team’s performance said, “I don't want to name an international team. But if you are made captain of Alaska team it will be very difficult to win matches. A captain's job is to channelise the resources. The individual reactions are also important. How the bowlers performed and how the batsmen build partnerships are important. Without a good team it's difficult to achieve success”, Dhoni was quoted saying in The Times of India.
