The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : A catch to hold on to!

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Sep 14, 2005

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

A catch to hold on to!

V. V. Subrahmanyam

Mahendra Singh Dhoni

HYDERABAD: Mahendra Singh Dhoni is in the mood to face bigger challenges. Fresh from his impressive batting performances in the triangular series in Zimbabwe last week, the India wicketkeeper-batsman, now in Hyderabad playing for Chemplast in the Moin-ud-Dowla Gold Cup, is not going to rest on his laurels.

"There is a still a long way to go," he says. The articulate Dhoni is more than pleased with his performance in Zimbabwe after the dismal tour of Sri Lanka. "I had some problems in reading the pace of the pitch," he explained. Dhoni, who is the first Indian wicketkeeper in more than three decades to send the opponent on a leather hunt, is aware of the high expectations. (Farokh Engineer was the last Indian gloveman to bat so freely). "Every time I get to the middle people expect me to score a century. I appeal to all to understand the match situation and be realistic," he says.

Gilly the hero

Does it mean he will change his batting style? "Not necessarily. If I am at the crease when the asking rate is about six, then I will have to go for those big sixes," he says with a big smile. Not surprisingly, his idol is Adam Gilchrist. What exactly was the turning point of his career? "I think the two centuries on the India `A' tour to Kenya last year (which also fetched him the `Man of the Series' award) gave me the confidence.

A lot of people watched me on TV and started taking note of my arrival," says Dhoni, who is keen on completing graduation as he had stopped studies after class 12 for want of time. He finds time to get lost in Kishore Kumar's melody too.For the Jharkhand player batting at No.3 is the most challenging proposition. Now more of a regular in one-dayers, Dhoni is keen to clinch a slot in Test squad too.

"The best way to achieve that is to keep performing in every match - domestic and international," he says. "May be, I may try to curb natural strokeplay in favour of greater consistency," he adds as an afterthought.

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