Following the embarrassment at the World Twenty20, India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni has warned his teammates not to hide injuries or niggles ahead of the one day series against West Indies that begins this Friday.
According to reports, the wicketkeeper-batsman gave his team members a dressing down on Sunday. Dhoni told his team members that everyone needs to be truthful about injuries or any other personal issues that could affect team’s performance.
“For me, it’s the team first and then the individuals and I’d hope it’s the same with everyone else in the group,” Dhoni is said to have stated.
The other issue Dhoni dealt with was related to players’ fatigue. He said in no uncertain terms that in case anyone felt tired and not 100 per cent fit, they should take rest in order to recuperate. “If rest is the cure for an injury, a cricketer ought to opt for it rather than let fatigue or niggle become a major setback to him and to the team,” he reportedly said.
Dhoni must have been forced to address these issues because of what happened to his deputy Virender Sehwag in England. When the Delhi batsman arrived for the World T20, he was said to have only a shoulder niggle. However, he was found to have a Grade 1 tear following which he underwent a surgery. “If anyone wants to take a break from the game, please let me know or the BCCI,” was what Dhoni said.
Dhoni did not spare the seniors in the team. “I would urge seniors to give more and more inputs for the betterment of the team,” stated Dhoni.
He was referring to Yuvraj Singh, Gautam Gambhir and Harbhajan Singh who will be playing four ODIs against the West Indies. Alongside the warning to the seniors, Dhoni also urged juniors to take up more responsibility and chip in with their inputs.
“Remember, winning is a habit, losing is a process and nothing is a disaster,” he said.
