MS Dhoni said his team would continue to play with aggression even as Australia dared the Men in Blue to sustain the fire when they tour Down Under.
RANCHI: Indian cricket captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni on Thursday said his team would continue to play with aggression even as Australia dared the Men in Blue to sustain the fire when they tour Down Under.
"Every one knows about his role and responsibility. If any player can play aggressive cricket, we should play that way," the dashing cricketer said when asked about India's on-field aggression that recently raised a few eye brows.
Australian captain Ricky Ponting recently said it would be interesting to see if India could sustain the aggression which it showed in the just-concluded seven-match series.
"Questions do arise, and play goes on," Dhoni quipped to another query on Sreesanth's aggression, an issue that had prompted Australia's former fast bowler Glenn Mcgrath to say that Sreesanth needed to back up his aggression with performance.
"In cricket also we have guidelines and so long as one plays within the frame work, it is okay," he said.
Ducking a question on Andrew Symond's racial charges, the wicketkeeper-batsman welcomed the much-needed 12/13 days breather before India take on the mighty Pakistan in the five one-day series.
"We have enough time before the tough series against Pakistan. We have played cricket for over five months, perhaps the busiest cricketing schedule in Indian cricket."
"It is important to relax, regenerate energy and charge our batteries before the important series ahead," he said.
He, however, quickly sidestepped a query whether India were playing too much cricket, saying, "I did not say that".
Asked how he felt playing under another captain in Test cricket, Dhoni said it was not important who was captain of which team as the all-important factor was the team's performance in whichever version.
On senior players not playing in the ongoing Challengers Trophy that could have given a cue to selectors, Dhoni said seniors with over 15 years' experience did not have to prove their performance.
The Challengers Trophy, he said, was very competitive and great platform for the juniors as it was very competitive tournament.
"The matches are very high-scoring ones. It is a great platform for all those players who want to get a chance," Dhoni said.
Dhoni did not attach much importance to Pakistan missing its flamboyant batsman Inzamam-ul Haq who recently quit from international cricket, saying the former captain had not been there on quite a few occasions earlier too.
Earlier, Dhoni was presented a luxury car, Toyota Corolla, by Jharkhand Chief Minister Madhu Koda as his promised 'surprise gift' to him for winning the twenty20 championship.
The Chief Minister at a state felicitation handed over the car keys to Dhoni and also a cheque for Rs five lakh.
Soon after receiving the cheque Dhoni contributed it in the Chief Minister's relief fund.
The Chief Minister also announced that Dhoni would be conferred the Jharkhand Ratna award, the highest honour of the state, on November 15, Jharkhand's foundation day.
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