Dharamsala - Indian one-day skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni said on Saturday he has started relying more on his younger team-mate Virat Kohli, who is tipped to take over the captaincy in the shorter formats of the game.
Firebrand Kohli, 27, was named skipper of the Indian Test
side after Dhoni quit the captaincy midway through the Australia tour in
December 2014.
Since then, Kohli has led India to Test victories against Sri Lanka, South Africa, West Indies, and more recently New Zealand, to propel the side to the number one ranking in the longest format of the game.
Dhoni, 35, however seems to be losing his Midas touch after
leading India to victory in the 2011 World Cup final.
In fact, Dhoni's last significant ODI innings was an
unbeaten 92 against South Africa in October 2015, leading to calls for Kohli to
take over the mantle in the shorter formats as well.
"I have already started using him (Kohli) more. There is more interaction with him and that's evident if you watch the game," Dhoni told reporters in Dharamsala on the eve of the first ODI against New Zealand.
Dhoni said he often chats with Kohli on team strategy.
"If I am not on the same page, I will explain why I
think this may not work. And let's say if I go with my decision and if it
doesn't work then it gives me a fresh view..."
India, who blanked the Kiwis 3-0 in the Test series, will
play five one-dayers before taking on England in a five-Test series in an
exceptionally busy home season.
Dhoni, whose Bollywood biopic is enjoying a good run at the
box office, said he was still trying to evolve as a player and was
concentrating on his fitness.
"A lot of things have changed since I made my debut in
2004. The way cricket is played has changed. The kind of players that are
coming in the Indian team are drastically different than what we were used
to," the wicketkeeper-batsman said.
"You only evolve with time and that's what I am trying
to do. I am sharing my experience with the youngsters and putting more emphasis
on my fitness."
Kiwi batsman Luke Ronchi said his side were banking on their
recent good form in the ODIs to come back strongly against the hosts.
"It's a completely different ball game now, completely
different cricket, a cricket which we have been playing really well for a while
now," he said at the pre-match press conference.
"We are a good ODI team and if we can continue playing
the way we have been playing for a while now, it's going to make for an
interesting series."
The Kiwis have been bolstered by the return of Tim Southee,
whose 135 one-day wickets put him at the top of the chart of New Zealand's
current players.
Corey Anderson, who has the highest strike of any New Zealand player in ODI history, is also back from an ankle injury.