Both sides have improved: Dhoni
First Published : 20 Jul 2012, 11:12
Last Modified : 20 Jul 2012, 11:12
Hambantota, July 19: As a rejuvenated Indian team take on Sri Lanka in five ODIs and one T20I, captain MS Dhoni is looking to begin the fresh season on a winning note.
Asked if the tour would help India prepare for the World T20 later this year, the skipper, who had led the team to victory in the ICC event in 2007 said, “What’s important is to be in the present, which means taking this series into account [and] not thinking too much ahead about the T20 World Cup.
“The good thing is that most of the players who are part of this side or who will be part of the T20 side have played lots of games in Sri Lanka, so we don’t really need to think ahead of time,” added the 2011 ODI World Cup-winning captain.
“Both the sides have improved a lot. In the last five or six years, we have got new players in the side and Sri Lanka have as well. The good thing is we are constantly improving ourselves. Sri Lanka are a very good side; they play fierce cricket. In the last five years, [the teams have been involved in no untoward] incident. We haven’t had any sort of fight on the field, yet we play cricket at an aggressive level so that’s one big positive for both the sides. Playing a lot with good competition actually helps us improve at the same time. That’s my take on it.”
Sri Lanka captain Mahela Jayawardene was equally positive ahead of the new series. "We have just finished a series against Pakistan successfully and what is important is to continue the good work. We have to work hard to reach the goals we want to attain.
"It's a good opportunity against India. We need to take the team forward. We have brought in a few new players for the one-day side, and we have to think about the World Twenty20 and which of these players will be suitable for that competition," he added.
