'We're refreshed, ready for new season'

Chennai: Speaking to the media in the capacity as India's captain after a lengthy off-season, a refreshed MS Dhoni sidestepped the issue of Pakistan touring India in December-January for a short limited-overs series, instead putting focus on the upcoming tour of Sri Lanka which begins July 21.

"Our cricket season has started and we want to play best for our country's image. We want to start the season well. The conditions in Sri Lanka are not too different. Certain things change but the pattern of cricket remains the same," he told reporters on Tuesday ahead of India’s departure. “Regarding the Pakistan series, as professional cricketers we have to be prepared for that. We are ready for Pakistan.”

Responding to a question about the importance of the captain in cricket during a rather short press conference by Indian standards, Dhoni said the real key to success lay in the team.

The Indian captain believes his team is prepared for a busy international season, including a series against Pakistan.

“The captain plays a role, but even if you pick a reputed captain and give him a weak side he will struggle. If you pick the world’s ten best captains and ask them to coach Alaska and then win the next World Cup, it will be difficult,” he said. “As I have always said, the captain channelizes the resources but at the end of the day matches are won with the bat and ball and with partnerships. I think individually how you react to that depends on the individual. But if you don’t have a good team, it’s very difficult to be successful."

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