Veteran off-spinner Harbhajan Singh has said that India needs to follow ex-skipper MS Dhoni's template while taking on New Zealand in the crucial T20 World Cup contest on Sunday.
Dhoni, who is currently with the Indian contingent as a mentor, is known for his astute captaincy and finishing skills with the willow. Harbhajan singled out Dhoni's captaincy while leading Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the Indian Premier League (IPL). The 40-year-old recently led the Chennai outfit to its fourth title after retiring from international cricket last year.
“T20s is such a format where if you don’t take wickets, you’ll keep getting further away from the game. For that, the pressure will have to be created through the field setting like MS Dhoni does when he captains CSK," said Harbhajan in his latest YouTube video.
“He puts the fielder in such a place where the ball will go. It’s not necessarily the orthodox mid wicket or cover, he moves his fielders to places where the ball is expected to go. I expect this kind of captaincy and this kind of awareness from India in this match,” he further said.
Kohli's men eyeing first T20 World Cup win against NZ
After losing to arch-rivals Pakistan in their T20 World Cup opener last week, the Virat Kohli-led unit will be eager to notch its first win of the tournament. Similarly, New Zealand will be eyeing their first two points, having lost to the in-form Pakistan side by five wickets.
Harbhajan also advised the Indian camp to put early pressure on the Kiwis in the do-or-die contest in Dubai. The Men in Blue are yet to record their first victory over New Zealand in the history of the T20 World Cup.
“India will have to build pressure on Kane Williamson upfront. If India can get him out early, I believe they can even keep their score under 130. And if they do that, India will be able to chase it easily,” Harbhajan, who has over 400 Test scalps to his name, said.