MUMBAI: As with his shots, Mahendra Singh Dhoni doesn’t mince his words. Shoaib Akhtar, then, is just another bowler for him. “Though Shoaib is one of the fastest bowlers in the world, I have played against the likes of Shane Bond and Malinga. I will not curb my natural attacking instincts against Pakistan and will keep looking for runs,” he said. Pakistan will be a hot place in January if Dhoni keeps his promise.
That said, Pakistan tour is not going to be an easy one. “Given the form Pakistan has shown recently and the fact that they would be playing at home, this tour will be a real test for us,” he said. “We have chalked out a strategy for the Pak tour. However I am not in a position to disclose it.”
From the 50-over job, Dhoni has now progressed to a longer task which, among other things, involves crouching for long hours to bowlers such as Anil Kumble and Harbhajan Singh. “Since both Kumble and Harbhajan extract considerable bounce, keeping wickets to them is a daunting task,” he said.
Coach Greg Chappell may have flattered Dhoni by comparing him to Adam Gilchrist, but Dhoni, unlike his batting, wants to go easy with it. “I don’t think I should be compared to Adam Gilchrist. Gilchrist has been performing superbly both in the batting as well as keeping department for a long time. My cricketing career has just started, there’s a long way to go for me,” he said.
Dhoni is generous in his praise for Chappell. “Greg Chappell has been a big motivating factor for me. He has helped me a lot in a number of ways. One can see a change in the way I play,” he said. And what was Chappell’s advice for him? “To stick to cricketing basics and play freely,” replied Dhoni.
The same, it seems goes for his hair. “I won’t give up my attacking batting style and there is no chance of my hair getting trimmed,” said Dhoni.
Even Shoaib is ready
Shoaib Akhtar, on the other hand, has put the disappointment of losing last year’s home series against India behind him and is looking forward to take on the rivals from across the border in the forthcoming series. “We’ve won one series (against England) but our job is still unfinished. Winning against India would be the icing on the cake,” he said. “I’m the same bowler. Only thing is that now I’m bowling with a more positive attitude and enjoying helping the team win. We are playing like a combined unit and that makes it more special.”
