Such is the fluidity of India’s batting line-up that Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who smashed batting records as he smashed the ball all over the park on Monday, doesn’t know whether he’ll get another turn at No. 3 tomorrow or head back to place down the order.But that’s fine with the man from Jharkhand. He knows that Greg Chappell has a plan, and it pays to buy into that plan. After all, that’s how he could spend 96 overs in the field under the Jaipur sun.At Chappell’s pre-season camp the youngsters were suspicious of the Australian, aloof and very unlike his predecessor John Wright. Suspicion turned into strong dislike when the gruelling exercise sessions went on and on. After one such session, the affable, gregarious Dhoni turned down an interview request with this: ‘‘Abhi nahi yaar, bahut thak gaya hoon.’’Those training sessions and fitness tests eventually paid off on Monday. Part of that was down to his well-known habit of drinking a litre of milk a day; part, surely, was down to the bleep tests in Bangalore.His counterpart Kumara Sangakkara said, ‘‘You don’t expect a wicket-keeper to bat that long.’’ The cramps did show up, but only after Dhoni had reached 150 runs did he have to call for a runner.That innings has made Dhoni, 24, the current star of the team. Requests for interviews today didn’t even make it to his door; team manager Baladitya was an effective buffer.He will be under pressure again when — or if — he walks out to bat tomorrow but in a way he’s been under pressure ever since that match-winning 148 against Pakistan. And in the past few matches, from the ODIs in Zimbabwe, his career has been coming together.Much of it is down to his ability to follow instructions, plain and simple. Like his great friend JP Yadav, the thought-process is clear: Do as directed.Chappell, the string-puller, may even feel it’s time to change the Dhoni template. He has a high regard for his young ward and has praised his growing maturity as a thinking cricketer.
