We will take it session by session: MS Dhoni
Indian captain MS Dhoni has said that his team will try to break up the final Test into sessions, and take it one session at a time. He added that the team which will win most sessions will end up winning the Test match.
India are trailing 2-1 in the series and need to win the match to level it. On the other hand, England captain Alastair Cook said that he is confident of winning the match and taking the series 3-1. Cook also praised his lead bowler James Anderson and stated that he is the best English bowler ever, in terms of pure skill. Although Anderson is yet to become England’s leading wicket taker in Tests, he may yet achieve this feat in the upcoming Test as he needs only 7 more wickets.
Dhoni said, “We should look at small goals, breaking it up into sessions and if you win more sessions, you will end up wining the Test match.”
“This match is very important but the process is still more important than the result, because it puts less pressure on the team. It is an important Test but at the same time, it is still about breaking up of the sessions. If you win more sessions than the opposition, then the result should come out in your favour,” Dhoni said, stressing on the importance of ‘processes’.
On his own technique, he added, “I might be one of the batsmen with a horrible technique when it comes to Test cricket. More than the technique, you should be aware where you shouldn’t be. I have been working on it for quite some time now. I batted well in the last two games. If I can continue to do that, I would be happy.”
On Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s fitness, Dhoni said the swing bowler is expected to be fit for the match.
“He has managed the workload quite well so far. He has a few niggles here and there but at the most he is always close to 80 percent fit. We shouldn't forget the amount of bowling he has done, and also the batting and fielding. So it is good that he is shaping up well. But he is also someone who we cannot afford to rest at this point in the series.”
On skipping the practice session, he said, “I felt like taking a personal day and so I took it. We have had enough team-building exercises in the three days after the last match and I was with the team then. This one day will not affect us.”
England captain Cook said his side will try to win the match. He said, “We are going in to win the game.”
On Stuart Broad’s fitness, he said, “He batted, bowled six to seven overs and he looked fine. It is great news that Broady has come through that blow (Varun Aaron’s bouncer).”
He also praised Anderson, adding, “For pure out and out skill, he is the best.”