Indians focused on Test as skipper Dhoni arrives

ADELAIDE: India's players say they are focused on next week's opening Test as MS Dhoni's arrival in Australia Saturday raised hopes he may lead his team against the home side at the Adelaide Oval.

The tourists, like the Australians, are coming to terms with the tragic death of Test batsman Phillip Hughes, which plunged the cricket world into mourning.

The Indians are preparing for Tuesday's Test after a couple of two-day games against a Cricket Australia XI, while the Australian squad only begun training on Friday following the funeral of Hughes on Wednesday.

The rescheduling of the Test series has opened the door for Dhoni to lead the Indians in the series opener in Adelaide.

Dhoni would have missed the originally scheduled first Test in Brisbane, slated to start last Thursday, because of a long-standing wrist injury.

Dhoni flew into Adelaide on Saturday and will train with his team-mates on Sunday, an Indian team spokesman said, though he added that any decision on whether Dhoni would play in Adelaide was yet to be made.

The death of Phillip Hughes after he was struck in the head by a bouncer in a domestic game late last month, forced a rejigging of the Test series, with Adelaide now hosting the opener.

"We are professional cricketers, we have to move on," Indian paceman Ishant Sharma told reporters in Adelaide on Saturday.
"What has happened is really bad and everyone was really shocked ... but we are professional cricketers and need to look forward to what is coming next for us and that is what we will do."

His team-mate Rohit Sharma said the first Test would be welcomed by a mourning cricket world.

"It was a very sad incident but cricket has to go on, the game will go on," he told reporters.

"Mentally, everyone is focused to do well. When you go out on the park, the only thing is about how to perform and give your best.

"That incident of Phil Hughes will definitely be in everyone's minds, but when it comes to this game we'll all be focused on how to do well and get the best result."

 

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