India became Complacent: Dhoni

Indian skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni admitted that his teammates got complacent after polishing off the top-order of the West Indies, which nearly toppled India in the high scoring first one-dayer here on Friday.

India set a massive 340-run target before the host but had to toil hard to defend it before managing a 20-run win at Sabina Park.

“Most of the guys thought that we have won the game when they were seven wickets down but it was a mistake and hopefully we won’t repeat that. It was closer than we had thought,” he said.

About Yuvraj Singh, who played a magnificent knock of 131, Dhoni said, “he has matured as a batsman in the last couple of years. We rely a lot on him. He gets big runs for us in the middle-order.”

Losing skipper Chris Gayle felt that his should have capitalised on the good start.

Gayle said he would also have batted first on the dry track. “I think if we had won the toss we would have batted first because it is a flat track and the wicket seemed a bit dry.” Yuvraj said he exercised restrain to get set before exploding. “I was getting used to the pace initially. After getting 25-30 runs I was comfortable. I got the momentum and played my shots.”

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Dhoni must get back his form

India face a challenge of redeeming themselves with a depleted side in West Indies, reports SportsCenter’s Muhammed Ashar Khan.

But the task seems doubly difficult with captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s transformed batting style that has gone from explosive to calm and accumulating.

Dhoni was given the reigns of the Indian team in 2007 for his ability to rocket the ball over the boundary at will and perform in pressure situations. But ever since becoming the captain, his brute power seems to have disserted him.

The 27-year-old known for his helicopter shot that would sail to the back of the stands has been taken over by a mellow, defensive approach.

“Dhoni is certainly not as aggressive as he used to be and he will have to be careful about it because like this he will neither be here nor there,” said Chetan Chauhan, former India cricketer.

Dhoni owns the record of the highest score by a wicketkeeper. He hit a colossal 183 not out against Sri Lanka in 2005, to take over Adam Gilchrist tally. But after becoming the captain, the destructive batsman’s strike rate in one-day internationals has fallen from 96 to 85 runs per hundred balls.

Even in the Twenty20 format where you have to score at a blistering pace, Dhoni’s strike rate has reduced from 128 in the inaugural World Twenty20 to just 96 in the second edition of the tournament.

There have been times when Dhoni has come up the batting order, but he has been happy to let his other illustrious hitters in the team to take center-stage.

The captain’s extended honeymoon of a successful run for the past one year seems to be over with the team’s dismal performance in the World T20 in England. From now on, his every hit and miss will be under scrutiny.

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MS Dhoni warns players against hiding injuries

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 theirinputs.

“Remember, winning is a habit, losing is a process and nothing is a disaster,” he said.

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Lakshmi Rai: Dhoni's girlfriend

South actress Lakshmi Rai is considered to be dating Indian cricket captain M. S. Dhoni. Some pictures of Lakshmi Rai at an event held recently.

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I hold no grudge against Dhoni: Amitabh Bachchan

Bollywood’s megastar Amitabh Bachchan needs no introduction. With the multitude of moolah-churning blockbusters in his kitty - Bachchan, even at 67, is giving actors half his age a run for their money. But for an actor whose every word is analysed and dissected, Big B steers miles away from controversy, simply sticking to his ‘no comment’ status on queries that are bound to raise eyebrows.

Speaking to Swati Chaturvedi her show `Kahiye Janab`, the czar of filmdom spoke about IPL, Dhoni, elections, poetry and his much read blog.

Excerpts:

Swati: Your father was one of India’s most renowned poets. Haven’t you ever thought of giving poetry a shot?

Amitabh Writing poems is not in my capacity. I must have written a few lines when I was in hospital, but that was all. I remember my mother was often asked that whether someone else from our family would follow my father’s footsteps, and she would answer that one poet in the family is enough.

Swati: So are you a poetic, romantic person?

Amitabh I feel that all of us are romantic and poetic in our own way. I am often asked which is my favourite film, and I have always maintained that I have given my best to all my films, so they are all my favourites.

Swati: There are a lot of Bollywood personalities like Shah Rukh, Preity who own an IPL team. Why haven’t you bought one yet?

Amitabh Simply, because I don’t have the money to afford one.

Swati: And if you did have the money?

Amitabh I can’t say. It’s purely a business decision.

Swati:How did you feel when so much of controversy was created when IPL was shifted out of India?

Amitabh I can’t say much. I believe that the people who created this controversy should answer this. If our government thought that holding the matches during the elections wasn’t a good idea, then I feel one should not question the decision of the government.

Swati:You have had five Padma awards in your family. What do you have to say about Dhoni, who did not come in person to receive his Padma award?

Amitabh : See, he is a player. He might have been busy. We knew Aishwarya would get one so we made our plans accordingly. But if Dhoni did not come, then I am sure he had his reasons.

Swati:You had congratulated Dhoni, but he has not responded. How do you feel about that?

Amitabh It’s no big deal. May be he did not receive my message. He is busy playing for the nation. There are no hard feelings.

Swati:Why did you then write about it on your blog?

Amitabh Oh, it was just in a passing moment that I mentioned it. It so happened that I met John Abraham and asked him about Dhoni, as they are good friends. I just told John that I wanted to wish him. There is no controversy in all this. If my blog has created such a stir then I shall go and delete it.

Swati:In your blog you have often written about how you want to be a part of media. But at times one can also sense a certain kind of anger for the media.

Amitabh It’s a completely wrong notion. See I believe that in our nation, all kinds of people from all kinds of backgrounds live. Now, as per their right, each individual has the right to say and do as he feels. We have the freedom of expression and all of us are free to say what we want. But we (actors) don’t have the advantage of a camera that the media has. Many a times there are wrong stories written about us. I feel that the blog is just a small medium through which I can clarify any wrong statements attributed to me. I feel that it’s a very good medium to connect with fans.

Swati:The General Elections just went by. And Mumbaikars, who had come out in huge majority to do candle light marches post 26/11, recorded a very low margin of voters?

Amitabh : See, I gave my vote. And I strongly believe that one must cast his vote. Now, if some people don’t vote, then it’s up to them.

Swati:What about politics?

Amitabh I just don’t understand politics and have no interest in it either.

Swati Sanjay Dutt has become a politician from UP. Do you think he has become what you would have had you joined politics?

AmitabhWhy not? If he wants to pursue politics then he is free to do so.

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