Thaindian News

Canberra, Dec 14 (IANS) Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni believes the experience in the team’s ranks will hold it in good stead against Australia in the four-match Test series starting with the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne.

Dhoni also said the Australian team cannot be taken lightly just because there are some young players.

The wicketkeeper batsman said India only need to play to their potential.

“Most of the batsmen have played there before. We are hoping we will do well there. Even last time (in 2007-08) we had a very good chance and we did really perform well. It is not that if the opposition is not doing well, it will be a best chance for us. We have to play to the level of the kind of talent that we have got and not worry about such things,” said Dhoni on the eve of the warm up match against Chairman’s XI.

“It depends on how we prepare ourselves during the 12 days before the Test match and how we adapt to the conditions,” Dhoni was quoted as saying in The Age.

Dhoni has vowed to give his touring side the best possible chance to exploit Australia’s weaknesses and is well aware this campaign is perceived as his nation’s greatest chance to win a series on Australian soil.

India’s batting, led by Sachin Tendulkar, is strong and experienced but much will depend on whether fast bowlers Zaheer Khan and Ishant Sharma can stay fit, with the attack expected to be rounded out by paceman Umesh Yadav and spinner Ravichandran Ashwin.

“Some people think that the last Australian team was much better than the current Australian side. Some of the present players were not part of the 2008 side. To judge them is quite a difficult task. Anil Kumble was part of our side [then]. The spinners coming into the team now are not as experienced as Anil. It applies to the Australian team also. They had big players like Adam Gilchrist and others,” Dhoni said.