Dhoni refuses to underestimate Bangladesh ahead of second Test

Virender Sehwag might think Bangladesh are an "ordinary" side, but India captain MS Dhoni does not share that view. He has even warned his team against taking the hosts lightly in the second Test starting in Mirpur today. Dhoni returns to lead the team after missing the first Test of the two-match series due to back spasms. Sehwag led the visitors to a 113-run win in the first game and maintained, before and after the game, that Bangladesh are not capable of taking 20 Indian wickets in a Test.

Dhoni, however, thinks otherwise and said: "There is no good reason why they [Bangladesh] cannot take 20 wickets and win a Test [against India]. At the end of the day, it is just 20 balls that matter. Anything can happen in cricket. So you should not take any side lightly in international cricket." Along with Dhoni, the off-spinner Harbhajan Singh is also slated for a return after missing the first Test with a neck sprain. The visitors, however, will miss the services of veteran batsman VVS Laxman and seamer Santhakumaran Sreesanth due to injuries.

As India target a 2-0 clean sweep and their fourth consecutive Test win, the spotlight will be on opener Gautam Gambhir. If he manages another century in the game, he will join legend Sir Don Bradman as the only batsmen in history to score centuries in six consecutive Test matches. Dhoni said that would be a memorable milestone in Indian cricket. He said: "I hope Gauti [Gambhir] scores a century. That would be a proud moment for himself and for the team."

For the home team, pressure is building on Mohammad Ashraful, who has just one 50-plus score in two years. The Bangladesh coach Jamie Siddons said: "There is definitely a lot of pressure on Ashraful, ge knows that he has been very inconsistent and we have talked about it." Australia, meanwhile are confident that vice-captain Michael Clarke will be fit to play today's second one-day international against Pakistan in Sydney after being hit in the ribs by paceman Mohammad Aamer in the first game, which the hosts won by five wickets on Friday. Captain Ricky Ponting said: "I think he'll be OK, it looked pretty sore. I don't know much more about it but he seemed OK in the dressing rooms."

arizvi@thenational.ae