Thaindian News

Galle (Sri Lanka), July 17 (IANS) India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni Saturday said opener Virender Sehwag’s form will be crucial as the visitors look for their first Test series win in Sri Lanka in 17 years.
India face Sri Lanka in the first of the three cricket Test matches here Sunday and the fixture will be Sri Lankan spin wizard Muttiah Muralitharan’s last Test.

Dhoni said India’s fate in the series will depend on how fit-again Sehwag performs.

“There is no doubt that Sehwag is a great batsman. And he is the one who will open the account for us. The way he bats, if he can bat for one or one and a half session, more often than not he crosses the century mark,” Dhoni said.

“It will be great to have him going. We have Gautam Gambhir and other batsmen who have the potential to score big. Of course, start is important for us. But there is no pressure on Sehwag,” he added.

Dhoni said after the team’s early exit from the Twenty20 World debacle, players have made a conscious effort to improve their fitness.

“It is quite difficult to change all of a sudden. Every player has made a conscious attempt to change a bit of everything. Everyone has put in a bit of effort in training because that is important. We are trying to reduce the amount of things that we have and we are having what is really good for us. It has been working,” he added.

Dhoni also admitted that home advantage make Sri Lankans the favourites.

“We will try our best. We have to give in more than 100 per cent in the series because the conditions are more in favour of Sri Lankan team. They know the home conditions better than us. At the same time, it will be a good exposure for the youngsters who are a part of the side. It will just add to their exposure and their experience. Overall, it would be good for Indian cricket in the long run,” he added.

On Muralitharan, Dhoni said: “I started cricket quite late. But off the field I can say Murali is good to have in the dressing room. He is a great guy. I think there are more memories off the field than on the field because I really don’t talk much on the field. We have played quite a few series against each other. Of late, we have been playing virtually every year against Sri Lanka.”