By IANS,
New Delhi: Indian skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni said there would be no drop in intensity as they take on Sri Lanka in the fifth and final one-day international at Ferozeshah Kotla here Sunday.
India have already taken an unbeatable 3-1 lead in the series and Dhoni said they would look to make the scoreline 4-1.
Dhoni, who would return to lead the side after sitting out in Cuttack and Kolkata following a two-match ban for slow over rate, said there would be a couple of changes but he would not tinker too much with the winning combination.
“There could be a couple of changes in the team but not too many changes,” Dhoni said after the team’s practice session Saturday.
“We have already won the series 3-1 but a 4-1 scoreline looks much better and we would obviously like to close the series on a high,” he added.
Sachin Tendulkar skipped the practice session Saturday, but Dhoni said he is available for selection.
Dhoni said they can play freely as they have already clinched the series. He praised stand-in skipper Virender Sehwag for leading the team to successive wins.
“Sehwag has done a good job. There is no pressure on us now and we can play with a free mind.”
Dhoni said the team has responded well in crisis situations.
“We played well in the last couple of matches although there were a few missed catches but overall the team has shown improvement.
“Fielding is one area where we need to put in more work. It can’t change overnight.”
Dhoni praised the youngsters for playing a crucial role in the series.
“It happens sometimes that after a long season you don’t always have your best players on the field. That is where the youngsters need to step in and take their places. And they have done that in this series.
“Whether it is Ravindra Jadeja or Virat Kohli, the younger players have done the job for us. We have always maintained that we don’t lack talent and these youngsters have proved us right. They are our bench strength and it’s a good sign for the team.”
“The younger lot are also good fielders,” he added.
The skipper said that batting has made the difference in the series.
“All the matches in the series were high scoring. More often that not, both the teams had got good starts through Tillakaratane Dilshan and Virender Sehwag. They are more or less similar in style. But even when Sehwag got out early, the strong Indian middle order has managed to put up a good total which has not been the case with Sri Lanka.”
Asked whether bowling has been an area of concern, Dhoni said it would be unfair to blame them.
“It has been a high scoring series. Generally when the ball is new, it tends to swing a bit but it hasn’t been the case in this series as the pitches were batting friendly.”