MS Dhoni unsure about Ajinkya Rahane's inclusion in the ODI side

MS Dhoni feels it is hard to include Rahane in the playing eleven under the present circumstances

MS Dhoni has downplayed the chances of Ajinkya Rahane and Gurkeerat Singh Mann featuring in the playing eleven for India in the upcoming ODI series against South Africa, IBNLive reports. The Indian ODI skipper meanwhile hinted that he could play three spinners in the opening match at Kanpur on Sunday.

Despite being a vital member of the Indian Test side in recent years, Ajinkya Rahane has been unable to cement his place in the limited-overs sides’ and unfortunately for the Maharashtra-born cricketer, Dhoni feels that Rahane can be useful if played in the Top three alone, something that is unlikely to happen with the trio of Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli virtually assured of their spots in the team.

"If you also see the last few series, you always felt Rahane is somebody who should bat up the order. Batting down he will face more difficulty. He is more flamboyant, more free when he bats up the order with a bit of field restrictions," Dhoni said.

"I think four is the number for Rahane. Even four is quite low for him I would say. Opening fits him really well. Take the example of Rohit Sharma for that matter. In domestic cricket, he bats lower but in international matches he opens for us. Our openers more often than not are who bat in the middle order in first class cricket.”

"So it is tough for him as of now. If am looking for someone to bat, five or six, I don't think he is the person. His strength is top of the order. If given a chance, we will try to feature him in the top three, if not then we would find it tough to place him in the playing eleven."

Dhoni also dashed the hopes of youngster Gurkeerat Singh Mann, who was called up to the ODI squad after impressing with his performances for the India A side, making his debut on Sunday.

“Gurkeerat is there, but he won't get the chance right away. Having said that, it is good to have people like him who are multi-talented. For now, he will have to wait for his opportunity," he said.

India might play three spinners

Amit Mishra could feature on Sunday

Talking more about the series opener on Sunday, Dhoni hinted that the spin trio of Ravichandran Ashwin, Amit Mishra and Axar Patel could all feature with tomorrow’s encounter being a day match.

"They have watered it (pitch) a bit. It is still a little soft. But it will be different by the time the match starts. This is one venue where we can play three spinners. As I said we have to look at the wicket again. We will have to see how dry it is,” Dhoni said, before adding that a final say on the matter will be taken only tomorrow.

"What are the chances of the pitch breaking up and assisting spinners. Definitely there will be no dew, so three spinner option is available for us. We will decide tomorrow."

Though spin might be India’s main weapon of attack, Dhoni is hopeful that the pacers can step up their performances, especially singling out the returning Umesh Yadav for special praise.

"We have emphasised a lot on pace but what is important is consistency. To exploit the conditions, if the wicket is on the slower side, you would want to be more consistent in your line and length and if you have pace, it can make a huge difference,” Dhoni said.

"Umesh is definitely someone who can bowl quick. Over the years, we have seen is that he gives us good performances but at the same time he has his off days. Hopefully, more and more games will help him become consistent. Once he bowls well he does really bowl well."

Dhoni wary of all-round South African side

Dhoni acknowledged that the experience of playing in the Indian Premier League has helped the visitors acclimatise to the conditions better and feels the main difference between the two sides is in the number of players with all-round abilities.

"They are a very good side. A lot depends on the composition and the kind of balance you have in the team. They have quite a few who can bat and bowl. After Jacques Kallis retired they did have problems in getting that perfect all-rounder," Dhoni said. "But they have got a few who can bat and ball and that helps. Overall, what we have seen is that they are a side which does well irrespective of where they are playing. A lot of them play in the IPL, so they are used to the conditions here in India."