“In
the
past
12-15
months,
I
have
batted
in
various
positions
because
that
is
what
the
team
needed
of
me
then
and
now
with
Rohit
(Sharma)
not
being
there,
I
will
bat
at
the
top
of
the
order,”
the
skipper
informed
ahead
of
the
opening
game.
Venkatesh
as
sixth
bowling
option
A
sixth
bowler,
preferably
seam
or
pace
option,
has
been
India’s
major
headache
for
past
two
and
half
years
due
to
Pandya’s
injury
and
now
the
team
management
is
“excited”
looking
at
what
Venkatesh
brings
to
the
table
with
his
multiple
skill-sets.
“Yes,
Venkatesh
Iyer
has
been
very
exciting
since
the
time
he
has
played
for
KKR
in
the
IPL
and
then
he
joined
us
for
the
T20
series
against
New
Zealand
and
he
did
well,”
Raul
said.
“Yes,
fast
bowling
all-rounders
are
always
an
asset
and
we
are
always
looking
for
fast
bowling
all-rounders
as
they
balance
the
team
out.
It’s
a
great
opportunity
for
Venkatesh
as
he
is
looking
good
in
the
nets,”
the
skipper
added.
He
made
it
clear
that
in
coming
days,
the
lanky
MP
man
would
be
bowling
a
lot
in
white-ball
games.
“We
are
trying
to
develop
Venkatesh
(as
the
sixth
bowling
option)
and
we
will
give
him
that
chance.
He
has
done
decently
and
he
gives
us
that
option
as
the
sixth
bowler.”
Want
Shikhar
to
remain
in
good
head
space
Shikhar
Dhawan
currently
plays
only
ODIs
and
it
becomes
difficult
not
to
question
his
place
in
the
side
after
a
few
failures
but
the
stand-in
captain
wants
the
senior
pro
to
remain
in
a
good
head
space
and
play
like
only
he
can,
by
dominating
the
bowlers.
“He
is
a
senior
and
experienced
player
and
understands
what
is
expected
out
of
him.
He
is
in
a
great
space
and
has
come
out
here
and
having
fun,
enjoying
his
cricket.
“…and
I
mean
yeah
as
a
captain,
it
will
be
about
trying
to
keep
him
in
that
space
and
give
him
that
confidence
to
go
out
there
and
do
what
he
has
been
doing
and
just
to
enjoy
his
cricket
and
giving
Team
India
the
starts
that
he
has
done,”
Rahul
was
all
praise
for
the
oldest
playing
member
of
the
touring
party.
At
a
personal
level,
Rahul
loves
Dhawan’s
approach
towards
batting.
“I
have
personally
been
someone,
who
has
enjoyed
seeing
Shikhar
play
in
ODIs
and
how
he
takes
down
bowlers.
and
I
just
want
him
to
continue
doing
what
he
has
been
doing,”
he
said.
Might
play
both
Ashwin
and
Chahal
in
first
two
games
India
have
practised
for
two
days
and
it
seems
that
the
track
at
the
Boland
Park
will
assist
spinners
more
than
the
ones
they
got
during
the
Test
series
at
the
Centurion,
Wanderers
and
Newlands.
Rahul
wants
to
pick
both
spinners
during
the
first
two
games.
“We
have
quality
spinners
and
Ashwin
is
coming
back
into
the
ODI
team,
and
we
all
know
what
quality
he
brings
in,”
he
said.
“Chahal
has
been
doing
it
for
years
now
and
been
a
great
performer
for
us
for
years
now
and
it’s
been
great
and
hopefully
we
can
exploit
that
in
the
first
two
games,
since
the
pitch
looks
like
it
will
offer
bit
of
spin
so
they
both
become
very
important.”
