Dhoni happy that Rohit Sharma clicked in Mohali ODI

Mohali (Punjab) - India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni on Wednesday said he was happy that batsman Rohit Sharma clicked well after being sent out to open the innings for India in the fourth one-Day International (ODI) cricket match against England at the Punjab Cricket Association (PCA) Stadium here.

India, who beat England by five wickets here, clinched the five-match series 3-1. The last encounter at Dharamsala will be played on Jan 27.

“We had a discussion with him some time before and we gave him time to think about it. We all felt he is someone who can be a really good opener in the sense he cuts and pulls really well…it was an opportunity for him. The good thing was he took it as a challenge and I am glad he scored runs because he is one of the most god-gifted talent that is around,” Dhoni said.

“It’s very important that he capitalises on that. An innings like this was very much needed for him. It will give him a lot of confidence and also time at the top level. Personally, I am very happy for him,” Dhoni told reporters after the victory.

A partnership between Rohit Sharma (83 runs) and Suresh Raina (89 not out) on Wednesday saw the game here slipping away from England.

Dhoni was all praise for Suresh Raina scoring well and becoming a match-finisher.

The Indian captain, who sustained a thumb injury during practice before Wednesday’s match, said he had not decided whether he will play the next match in Dharamsala.

“We will see…I didn’t have a chance to speak to the selectors. It is definitely an opportunity but we will see. I can’t really confirm anything now,” he said.

He admitted that India conceded 100 runs in the last 10 overs to England but defended his young bowlers.

“We thought 260 would be a good total to chase because the wicket was quite good. Overall, we are happy with the performance of the bowlers because you must realise that they are new bowlers, they haven’t played a lot of international cricket,” Dhoni said.