Dhoni pleased with allrounders stepping up
by Kapil Khera
MS Dhoni, India’s limited-overs captain, has welcomed the return of batsmen who can also contribute with the ball although it may, as a tangential consequence, delay Ajinkya Rahane’s comeback into the team after a hand injury.
On a pitch that slowed down, India looked in control for the first time on the tour, and it possibly came down to the fact that Dhoni had many bowling options up his sleeve. Besides the frontline bowlers, he tried debutant Hardik Pandya for three overs and Yuvraj Singh for one and even had the option of Suresh Raina had the need arose.
Rahane is a specialist batsman who does not bowl. When asked how difficult it would be for him to fit into the team combination, Dhoni said: “We will wait and watch once he gets fit. That will only increase the problem, but it is a good problem to have. Allrounders are important. If Hardik doesn’t bowl me four overs in every game; even if he gives two overs or three overs, I can still use others.
“What I don’t want is top five or top six batters, including the keeper, where you don’t have a bowling option. If somebody goes for runs, you don’t really know what to do. In this format, you will have bowlers going for runs. At that time, you want your part-time allrounders to come in and give you that one over because that one over can help.