India ready to make history - Dhoni
CAPE TOWN, Jan 1, (AFP) - Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni
said on Saturday that his team were ready to make history when they face
South Africa in the series-deciding third and final Test starting at
Newlands on Sunday.
“The good thing with this side is that we know why we can win a
series in South Africa,” said Dhoni.
India were in the same situation four years ago when they came to
Newlands with the series level at one-all - but Dhoni said the mood in
the side was much more confident this time around. South Africa won by
five wickets on that occasion and India have yet to win or even share a
series in South Africa.
“The dressing room is much better now,” he said. “It doesn’t mean
that it was bad four years ago but I can say this is the best dressing
room that I have felt in the last five years. Most of the guys have
achieved a lot in their long Test careers.
“They enjoy their cricket and they enjoy each and every practice
session. It feels a very complete dressing room, a very happy dressing
room. A lot of credit must go to everyone, including each and every one
of the support staff.”
Dhoni said India’s success in reaching number one on the Test
rankings was based on attention to detail. “We focus on the small
things, we prepare well, we make good plans and then we go out to
execute those plans.”
It is India’s fifth Test tour of South Africa and Dhoni acknowledged:
“It’s a chance to create history. We did that when we won the first Test
in Johannesburg in (December) 2006 when we won in South Africa for the
first time.
“We have the talent and the temperament to achieve success in South
Africa, although I always say it’s not about the past, it’s all about
the next five days.”
Dhoni said South Africa would be under some pressure. “They are
feeling a bit of it because we are the home team and we won the last
match.”
South African captain Graeme Smith said his team needed to perform
better than they did in the second Test in Durban, which India won by 87
runs. “We were not as focused as we should have been and we lacked a bit
of discipline at key moments.”
Smith said the main reason for the loss in Durban was the failure of
the batsmen but he said he was confident they would bounce back. “We
have had a lot of success as a batting unit but in Durban we seemed to
lose our minds. We have spoken a lot about what needs to be done.”
Unseasonal rain swept across Newlands on Saturday morning and South
Africa were forced to cancel a scheduled practice although the sun came
out later when it was India’s turn to train.
There is a 30 percent possibility of more rain on Sunday morning but
the weather is expected to be clear for the rest of the match.
Groundsman Evan Flint said he had hoped for a full day of sunshine to
finalise his pitch preparation. “The pitch might be a bit slower and
softer than usual at the start of the game but it should be a good
batting wicket,” he said. |