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MS Dhoni to focus on 2016 World Twenty20

by Manuj Sharma Wednesday 6 January 2016

Indian captain MS Dhoni is satisfied over the squads picked for the Australian tour.

©REUTERS / Action Images

Indian limited overs captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni asserted that his present focus is only on the upcoming tour of Australia and the 2016 World Twenty20 tournament.

It was the inaugural edition of the World T20 in 2007 which catapulted Dhoni into the limelight when he led India to the title triumph in South Africa.

When asked about his plans for retirement, Dhoni refused to give any details stating that he is not looking too far into the future but instead concentrating on the upcoming challenges.

“I have always believed in the present.

“No answers on future.

“For now, it’s the Australia tour.

“I have not thought beyond the World Twenty20.

“All energy and resources need to go in one direction, these will be an important three and half months for us.”

India are currently scheduled to play a limited overs series in Australia consisting of five One-Day Internationals and three T20Is in January.

The Indian selectors have named a T20I squad consisting of a mix of senior players like Harbhajan Singh, Yuvraj Singh, Ashish Nehra while giving chances to youngsters like Barinder Sran, Axar Patel and Manish Pandey in the ODIs.

Dhoni feels that the squads named for the Australian tour have a good number of capable players and is looking to try various combinations before the World T20.

“There are plenty of inclusions in the team who have performed well.

“They will get a chance to play in Australia since its long a series.

“We will play three Twenty20 internationals ahead of the World Cup.

“Conditions might be different but we will have ample opportunity to try different options and combinations,” said Dhoni.

Dhoni retired from Test cricket in December 2014 in order to focus on the limited overs fixtures and the 34-year-old is happy with the break he gets from not playing the longest format of the game.

“Now that I don’t play Test cricket, I have more time to switch on and off.

“The break gives me time to be off cricket and get back in groove.”

The Indian skipper was also in awe of the record breaking knock of Mumbai school cricketer Pranav Dhanawade who scored 1009 runs from 323 deliveries.

Dhanawade’s knock was laced with 129 fours and 59 sixes and the youngster became the first ever cricketer to reach the four-figure mark.

Maintaining that it was not easy to score so many runs in a match Dhoni termed Dhanawade “a very special kid” and urged him to keep improving his skills.

“It’s not a joke to score so many runs.

“It’s serious business in any conditions and ground keeping in mind the age.

“It’s tremendous, it’s important to improve.

“He must be a very special kid.

“I would have got bored, he’s calculating his batting.

“It is something that is very rare.”

India will play two tour matches against Western Australia XI in Perth on 8th and 9th January before kick-starting the ODI series with the first match on 12th January at the WACA ground.