Mindgames have begun: Dhoni

NAGPUR: Mahendra Singh Dhoni refuses to be drawn into any verbal duel with the Australian cricketers but the host captain believes the visitors have already started a mind game ahead of Team India’s visit Down Under later this year.

“It seems the Australians have started the mind games now itself for our visit. They have won a series and think they can say whatever they can. But we still have to play under the same sun even in Australia. I don’t believe in engaging in verbal duels,” he said at a post-match press conference after the sixth and penultimate ODI here.

Symonds has added fuel to his simmering duel with the Indians by describing the ongoing tour as “hostile” and warning the team of a backlash when it tours Down Under this year.

There was another flare-up on Sunday involving him and Irfan Pathan this time. Both all-rounder exchanged hot words in the vicinity of the umpire at one stage. Ricky Ponting, later, and Indian opener Sourav Ganguly, initially, drew Pathan away from Symonds before the matter could take an ugly turn. Asked about the incident, Symonds brushed it aside saying, “I was asking the umpire how many balls were remaining in my over and Pathan was standing nearby”.