We have to find a way of dismissing Dilshan early: Sehwag

By Rahul Bajaj
for Cricketain.com

Published: December 21, 2009

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Cuttack: Tillakaratne Dilshan has been a headache for the Indian team all throughout Sri Lanka’s tour. He was prolific in the test matches, continued his form in the two T20 matches and has so far been devastating in the one-dayers. India’s stand-in skipper Virender Sehwag said on the eve of the third ODI at Cuttack that Dilshan is a big worry for the Indians but he is sure that the pacers can get the Sri Lanka opener early in the third ODI to be played on Monday.

Dilshan has so far scored back-to-back hundreds in the first two one-dayers and Sehwag, who is his teammate at Delhi Daredevils, felt that trying to contain the dangerous opener is useless and the bowlers would have to get his wicket if they want to stop his rampage.

“It’s very difficult to stop somebody who is in such a good form,” Sehwag said in the pre-match press conference. “We must think of how to get him out instead of thinking about stopping him. I am sure Zaheer (Khan), Ishant (Sharma), PK (Praveen Kumar) will work it out.”

The Delhi dasher has been named stand-in skipper for the next two ODIs after Mahendra Singh Dhoni was banned for India’s slow over rate in the second one-dayer at Nagpur.

Asked if it was a troublesome job for him, Sehwag said, “It’s not difficult. I am part of the team and I know who is playing, who is not playing. I know of our strategy and planning. I don’t think it’s any kind of a problem.”

But Sehwag did feel that the team would miss Dhoni on Monday. “Definitely we will miss him. He is our match-winner. If we look at the last game, he got us back to the game (with a century). Without him we would have got out in 40-45 overs. He is our best player in the middle order line-up and also a very good captain. But there is no extra pressure as a captain, with everybody contributing for the team,” Sehwag added.

Sehwag candidly admitted that India’s sloppy fielding is a matter of concern for the team. “It’s important to do well in all the three departments of the game, especially in fielding. It will be very important if you save 10-15 runs while fielding,” said Sehwag.

He, however, defended the pacers who fumbled while fielding. “It’s very difficult for pacers after bowling 7-8 overs to do well in the field. Fielding is a concern and we are working towards it,” he explained.

Sehwag, however, refused to blame the newly-recruited fielding consultant Mike Young, saying, “He just joined the team and he needs some time. He is a very good at it. He just taught us a few drills, some new fielding session…He is very keen on what he is doing. I’m sure it will help.”

It’s been a series of the batsmen so far with both the matches being high scoring affairs and Sehwag felt that batsmen these days are confident of chasing any total.

“Wickets have been very good this series. In the first match, Sri Lanka got very near chasing 414. I think the batsmen’s thinking is changing these days. They are confident of chasing any target. Whatever you score, be it 300 or 400, it’s still not safe. Bowlers will have to work it out how to curb a batsman and get him out,” Sehwag said.

The first ODI in Rajkot saw as many as 825 runs being scored in the match, with Sri Lanka almost chasing down a target of 415, while in Nagpur, Sri Lanka chased India’s 301 with three wickets in hand.

After the ban on Dhoni, Sehwag asserted that his team needed to quicken up its over-rate and bowl the 50 overs in the allotted three-and-half hours.

“We always try to finish off the 50 overs in three and half hours. But sometimes in crucial stages of the match, time gets wasted in field placing and all. We will have to make sure that we maintain the over rate,” he said.

Sehwag agreed that there are hardly any good bowling-friendly wickets these days and said, “BCCI is looking at this scenario. It’s difficult to get a good track for fast bowlers, though spinners are sometimes getting good turning wickets. But there are some associations who are preparing good fast bowling wickets.”

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