Off-field controversies continue to dog Team India in the ICC World Twenty20. But ahead of the inconsequential last group match against minnows Ireland, the team was relaxed.
Captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni said it will be business as usual once the boys take the field at Trent Bridge, Nottingham, on Wednesday. After the upset win over Bangladesh he knows well enough that Ireland cannot be taken lightly and it is important to maintain a winning momentum going into the Super Eights.
The match could be the last chance for India to test various combinations and players, but Dhoni insisted that there will not be much experimentation -- the focus is on winning.
"I don't think we will experiment too much against Ireland. We will try to play with the strongest side available provided there are no injuries," he said.
Having witnessed the Netherlands upset England, West Indies stun Australia and Ireland account for Bangladesh, Dhoni is guarding against complacency.
"I think that if any team takes the other team lightly, especially in this format, it will be the biggest mistake. This is a very different format and in every team you have two or three big hitters who can turn the game on their own, or two or three bowlers, either spinners or fast bowlers. So, I think, there is not much difference between the teams in this format. All the teams are quite close and it all depends on how they perform on the day."
Dhoni believes that spinners will have a big role to play as the tournament progresses and is delighted to have two in his side, in Harbhajan Singh and Pragyan Ojha.
"I had said earlier also that the spinners will have a big impact in this tournament. We have seen the quality of spinners that every side has got and that is really amazing. I feel all the best world-class spinners will come into action in this tournament and they will put pressure on the batsmen. Till now, whatever games have been played, we have seen that spinners have been successful, not only quality spinners, even the part-timers, have been successful to some extent; so they will have a bigger impact on this tournament.
"Seeing the conditions we felt as if we need two specialist spinners and Ojha really proved it. Again, you see the kind of class Harbhajan and Ojha have got and that really helps. If you have plenty of options you can always use the part-timers.
"The good thing is that our part-timers have performed during the IPL and have the confidence that they can really do it. If you have the option of having a player like Ojha you always go for it. Of course, Bhajji is a world-class spinner and he can bowl during the field restriction overs as well in the slog overs; so it is a good to have a couple of options if you know conditions will help the spinners," he said.
India's captain also sought to defend five of his players who skipped the practice sessions on the eve of their match against Ireland.
"Well, as I said, we have plenty of optional sessions and it is not like that you will see all the 16 guys in practice. If the players think they need a bit of rest they opt for it. That is the good part, because you know your body more than anyone else. That is helping you and, hopefully, we won't have more injuries in this tournament. It is a short tournament, but at the same time it is very demanding. It is just 20 overs but the intensity level is quite high, so it is a demanding format and, hopefully, we won't have injuries," he said.
He sought to play down the favourites tag attached to his team.
"Well, if we play to potential we are a tough side to beat. I will stick to that because you have to be there throughout and you have to perform to at least 80 or 90 percent of the potential that you have got in the side. The moment you slip down -- you have seen quite a few close games in the T20 format -- and those games can slip in favour of any side. So you have to be there throughout. It is not about being the favourites but about what you do on a particular day on the field," he said.
