By IANS,
Cuttack: Virender Sehwag Sunday said India will miss captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni in the next two one-dayers of the series against Sri Lanka.
Sehwag, who is the stand-in-skipper for the third and fourth ODI at Cuttack (Monday) and Kolkata (Thursday), said the new responsibilty has not added any undue pressure on him. Dhoni was handed a two-match ban for the team’s slow over rate in the Nagpur ODI Friday.
“He (Dhoni) is our match-winner. In the last game, he got us back (with a century),” Sehwag said on the eve of the third match here Sunday.
“He is our best player in the middle order and a very good captain. But there is no extra pressure on me as a captain. With everybody contributing for the team, it’s (captaincy) not difficult. I am part of the team and I know who is playing, who is not playing. I know our strategy and planning. I don’t think it’s any kind of a problem,” he said.
Sehwag was confident of coming up with a plan to restrict Sri Lanka opener Tillakaratne Dilshan, who has been in a devastating form in the series with back-to-back centuries.
“It’s very difficult to stop somebody who is in such good form,” Sehwag said. “We must think of how to get him out instead of thinking of stopping him. I am sure Zaheer (Khan), Ishant (Sharma), PK (Praveen Kumar) will work it out.”
India’s fielding has been a low point in the series despite the hiring of Australian Mike Young. Sehwag said Young needs to be given time to show results.
“He (Young) just joined the team and he needs some time. He is very good at it. He just taught us a few drills, some new fielding session. It’s very difficult for pacers after bowling seven-eight overs to field well. But it is a concern and we are working on it,” he said.