Watch: MS Dhoni talks about his team and the WT20 after the 3rd T20I

The MS Dhoni-led Indian side earned its second consecutive series win after they demolished Sri Lanka in the deciding third T20I at Vishakhapatnam. India did not even break a sweat this time as their batsmen chased down the small target of 83 runs losing a single wicket.

Ravichandran Ashwin was the star of the win. The wily off spinners rocked the Lanka top order and picked up the best bowling figures by an Indian in T20Is. The series win also ensured that India retains their number one ranking in the T20I chart which they got after blanking Australia 3-0 Down Under.

MS Dhoni addressed the media at Vizag after the match and expressed his views about the win. The Indian skipper gave a very positive reply when asked whether India goes into the World T20 as the top contender Dhoni said, “We are always a top contender when it comes to the shorter format. And, with the World Cup being held in India, the spinner will come into action, that gives us the added benefit. Also the exposure of playing IPL is a advantage. We have played like 7-8 seasons of IPL here. So, we’ve got very good experience when it comes to playing in India. All those things will definitely count. But, the shorter format, what it really does is that it narrows down the difference between the two teams. As I said that you have to keep the big hitter from the opposition out of the game. Also in knockout games, that’s the crucial part of the tournament where you have to be at your best, you can’t really have an off day because once the knockout stage starts its like lottery cricket. So, I feel that consistency is something which is very important.”

With the arrival of Bumrah, India’s death over bowling problems have simmered down little. Dhoni emphasised on the importance of the death over bowling and the options which can be explored when a frontline bowler has a bad day.

“In this format what really happens is usually you will keep two overs of somebody like Bumrah or Nehra for the death. What happen is that in a fifty over format you have to be more careful, you have to keep 2 or 3 overs of a spinner. If one of your death bowlers is not bowling well then you would like to put the spinner in. And, at times, you don’t end up using the spinners and that’s the time when we think that maybe we should have used him ion between the 40th.”

“It will trouble us till we are certain that there are bowlers who will bowl at the death for us. In this format it’s a matter of one over. This series was seen as the build-up for the World T20 What do you think are the areas”

The skipper spoke about those areas and discussed the things which the team is concentrating ahead of the mega event. “Everybody has not got a chance to bat but you’ll keep facing this problem and our batting line-up is quite deep so we have try and give batting to players who have not batted. The batsman batting at 6 and & 7 have to develop the ability to go in and straightaway get runs and play the big shots. Because that would be certainly very important for us. If an get 10 run off the three deliveries you face then it can be a real benefit ”

Dhoni also praised his most trusted bowler, Ravichandran Ashwin he said, “He is the pick of the bowlers when it comes to giving him the new ball especially with fielders in the circle. He is somebody who still flights the ball and asks the batsman to step out and play the big shot, that I feel is crucial in this format. At times, you tend to bowl too flat but he is somebody who mixes up really well and gives us the liberty of using the fast bowlers in the middle overs, especially when we are playing with two fast bowlers.”

Watch: MS Dhoni talks about his team and the WT20 after the 3rd T20I: