We have to put Australia under pressure: Dhoni

Mahendra Singh Dhoni kept his cards close to his chest regarding team composition and generally talked in riddles.

Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni reckons that the 8216;best method8217; to beat Australia in the cricket tri-series finals was to 8216;put them under pressure8217; and his young team was capable of turning the tables on the world champions.

8220;Australia is a side which likes to keep other teams under pressure. So the best method is to keep them under pressure. Fortunately, they have been under pressure in this series and it will be good if we can keep it that way,8221; Dhoni said on the eve of the crucial match.

Dhoni said toss would be important in Sunday8217;s first finals to be played under lights.

8220;Toss is important as teams would like to bat under the sun. Under the lights, it does a bit before it becomes a flat track again,8221; he said.

Dhoni kept his cards close to his chest regarding team composition and generally talked in riddles, except while defending his youngsters.

The big question on everyone8217;s lips was the final eleven given his penchant for five bowlers and reluctance to play Virender Sehwag in all the games.

8220;Sachin will open that8217;s for sure. It8217;s about his partner. Actually it8217;s quite confusing whether to play five or four bowlers; to go into the game with 3-2 or 4-1 or 4 plus part-timers,8221; he said.

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Dhoni did not want to comment if he has evolved as captain and was flippant when asked if there was something about the Sydney water, as rival captain Ricky Ponting had said the other day, which was causing the bad blood to exist between the two teams.

8220;May be they should get a few samples of the water to the lab and get it tested. It doesn8217;t make a difference to us anyway as we8217;ve been drinking mineral water,8221; was the cryptic reply of Dhoni beneath a typically benign smile playing on his face.

The Indian skipper was asked if Matthew Hayden was rested in Friday8217;s game, instead of being provided with practice before the finals, as a mark of punishment for his unprovoked remarks against Harbhajan Singh the other day.

8220;May be he was given break because he wanted to be in the boxing ring, he wanted to box,8221; said Dhoni barely able to control his giggle as he offered his reply.

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As for the possibility that his side could create history, Dhoni was again at his flippant best.

8220;I don8217;t know about creating or not history but you become a part of history, whether for good or bad, once you play.8221;

Dhoni has the rein of India8217;s young brigade for sometime now but he did not want to comment if his captaincy has had a learning curve in the last few months.

8220;Too many things have happened as a captain for me to state in a short time of a press conference,8221; said Dhoni, without pausing and reflecting on the question.