Dhoni optimistic about benefits of gaps between World Cup fixtures
The lengthy breaks between the ICC World Cup 2011 fixtures have been heavily criticized by various players but the talismanic India captain, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Mahendra-Singh-Dhoni-c73820, feels the long gaps will help the players recover from niggles in time for
the next game. He also added that the schedule would help teams field their best team in almost every game.
"The way the format has been prepared, there are long breaks. If players have any niggles, they can recover in time for the next match. The fixture is such that the best XI can be easily fielded," said the Indian captain at a press conference
in Dhaka, where skippers of all the 14 World Cup participating teams were present.
Dhoni dismissed the talks of the Indian team being under pressure of playing at home and said that the team has the potential to emulate the Kapil Dev-led squad's triumph. He said that pressure is part of the game and the team is used to
playing under all sorts of pressure, so it would not affect team’s performance as such.
The 29-year-old Ranchi batsman arrived in Dhaka with the team on Thursday for the World Cup opener against co-hosts and eastern neighbors, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Bangladesh-c747. Suresh Raina, the sensational middle-order Indian batsman, missed the team bus to the
airport for the flight from Chennai to Dhaka however he did join the team on the flight. When asked about Raina’s absence in the team bus, Dhoni said, "If one or two is missing, it is not a big deal when we have 15 in the team. The important thing is that
everyone should catch the flight," Dhoni said.
The wicketkeeper and batsman for India wished good luck to all the participating teams and was hopeful the tourists will enjoy their World Cup tour of the Subcontinent."I hope it will be a fine World Cup,” said Dhoni. “Cricket is very popular
in the subcontinent and people will enjoy the next 43 days of cricket. For others who are coming here, I wish them a happy stay and enjoy the hospitality of the subcontinent."
The 10th edition of the esteemed quadrennial event, which is going to be jointly hosted by http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Sri-Lanka-c758 and Bangladesh, gets underway on 19 February in Dhaka and runs until 2 April.
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