da lvbet： Mahendra Singh Dhoni has said that he is keen to be recognised as a specialist batsman and strokeplayer
da doce： Cricinfo staff08-Jun-2005
Mahendra Singh Dhoni: ready for greater challenges © Getty Images
Mahendra Singh Dhoni, one of the few successes in a largely disappointing season for India, has said that he is keen to be recognised as a specialist batsman and strokeplayer, not just as a pinch-hitter. Speaking to the media in Kolkata, Dhoni, who became an overnight star thanks to a scintillating 148 at No. 3 against Pakistan in only his fifth one-day international, spoke of his desire to bat for longer periods in ODIs. “My focus will be to bat through the middle overs,” he told . “In one-day cricket, the phase between the 15th and the 40th overs is as crucial as the first 15 overs. Look to play yourself in – that’s what I constantly keep telling myself these days.”Dhoni’s thunderous strokeplay and his flowing mane made him an instant hero last season, but he seems keen to cultivate a more sober image. The long locks are now gone, and if his recent quotes are to be believed, the lofted hits over extra-cover will soon be a thing of the past too. “I hate it when people call me pinch-hitter. I am more of a strokeplayer. I have had enough of simply hitting the ball hard in the first 15 overs.”Dhoni might want to sober down in ODIs, but he was at his swashbuckling best in the P Sen Trophy, a one-day tournament involving local clubs in Kolkata. Playing for Shyambazar Club, reported at a fee of Rs100,000 (US$2275 approx), Dhoni slammed 207 off a mere 126 balls against George Telegraph. According to the , this was the highest score in the tournament’s history, beating the earlier record set by a certain Sachin Tendulkar.With Tendulkar unavailable for the triangular series in Sri Lanka in August, there is a possibility that Dhoni could move up to open the innings. Dhoni has been batting at No. 3 for the last five ODIs, but insisted that he was ready to open. “I am ready for that slot. It is unfortunate that Tendulkar will be out of action. But I am totally prepared for this.”Meanwhile, Dhoni also indicated that he would be open to shifting domestic loyalties to Bengal during the forthcoming season. Dhoni’s current team, Jharkhand, is among the second-rung domestic states, which means fewer matches and lesser exposure against top-class opposition. The quoted him as saying: “I am open to such offer and hope everyone understands my reasons for it.”
