Batters must come good, says Dhoni

Ahead of the crucial second ODI against Pakistan, Indian skipper MS Dhoni on Wednesday admitted that batting was a ‘concern’ and hoped his batsmen would come good in the match. ‘It is a must-win game for us and we are under a bit of pressure. Our batting has been a problem. That is one area that we need to come good in. It is the right time for our batters to come back to form,’ Dhoni told mediapersons on the match-eve.

With new rules by the ICC for ODIs introduced in the series, Dhoni said it was important for the team to play according to merit instead of going for big shots. Under the new rules, a maximum of four fielders are allowed to man the boundaries at any stage of the 50-over contest. ‘With just four fielders outside the circle, there can be temptation to play big shots which can eventually lead to wickets. So it is imperative that we play the ball according to its merit. We need to keep wickets in hand and not think too much about big scores. It is important that we play according to what the situation demands.’ The captain, however, was quick to back his batsmen.

‘We have done well in the shorter formats of the game and it would be unfair to blame the batsmen just on the basis of the last game,’ said Dhoni.