Dhoni not alarmed about fiery pacers

“I faced Andrew Flintoff at home and he was bowling genuinely quick with bounce. So there is no alarm as such about the West Indian fast bowlers,” he added. The dashing Indian wicketkeeper-batsman, however, was quick to add that he was ready to adjust himself against the hosts attack, if required. “If I have to do adjustments, I would do so at the necessary time,” he said.

Dhoni revealed that he had come expecting slow pitches and his impression seemed to be right if the venue for the nets was any indication. “I have come over expecting wickets to be slow yet providing grip to the spinners. This one in the middle certainly confirms the impression,” he said about the strip at Chadwin Park where the team practised yesterday morning. This, Dhoni feels, would allay any undue fear about the West Indian fast bowlers troubling the Indian batsmen.

“When so much of cricket is being played, you learn to switch on and off. For others, it might mean a visit to the beach, for me it helps to listen to music,” he said.

Dhoni admitted that it had been an endless season for Indian cricketers with only a fortnight’s break in the present year but hoped there would be sufficient break for the team before the Champions Trophy in October. “After the present series against the West Indies, we play Sri Lanka in August and then there is a sufficient break for us to recover before the Champions Trophy,” said Dhoni.

When his attention was drawn to the fact that the Indian board had fixed a series with West Indies in the United States in September, he said “if that’s so I am not aware of it.”

In one such reaction, Dhoni provided a glimpse on how much Indian board seeks the opinion of its players before deciding on its international fixtures. Dhoni has shouldered more than his fair share of load in the last few months. Since Rahul Dravid assumed total command last October, Dhoni has played in all but one match.

“When so much of cricket is being played, you learn to switch on and off. For others, it might mean a visit to the beach, for me it helps to listen to music,” he said. That he thrives on challenges is evident in his soaring graph. Dhoni is filling up the stands with his electrifying batting.

Trim stresses

Kingston: Mahendra Singh Dhoni today had less burden on his head, having trimmed his trademark flowing locks.

But for his innumerable fans back home, he had a reassuring message —- the long hair would be back before he returns to India.

Why did he shorten his hair?

“In this heat, it serves a practical purpose, but there is no reason for my fans to lose heart. It would be back to its normal length by the time I am back in India.”