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I believe in finishing game be it 47th, 48th or 50th: Dhoni
India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni on Tuesday made it clear that his take on how and when to finish a game is different from Gautam Gambhir but each one is entitled to have their own opinion.
Gambhir after India's last over victory against Australia had said that he prefers not to stretch it till the end and finish atleast a couple of overs earlier.
Quizzed on Gambhir's viewpoint, Dhoni replied, "I am not in a hurry to finish the game in the 47th or 48th over. I am happy, if I can do it in the 50th over. I don't have the luxury of batsmen behind me. I like to finish the job."
'It's different with individuals'
The skipper made it clear that it's about "different individuals."
"It's different with individuals. Some like to finish early, take risk and finish it off. It's difficult to play big shots (on big grounds). When you go for it, it really has to pay off. Otherwise, it looks as if this shot wasn't needed at that stage," he explained.
On a lighter note, he said that somebody like Virender Sehwag wouldn't mind finishing off the match in the 35th over.
"If you ask Viru paaji (Virender Sehwag), he would look to finish it off in 35 overs! He believes the ball is there to be hit. So its a difference in perspective. There is nothing wrong between us."
'We don't want a controversy'
On the issue of Lasith Malinga bowling a delivery less in the 30th over, Dhoni said, "It's done and dusted. We have seen in the past the third umpire interferes (if the over is short). It has happened to us. Three individuals, the two umpires and the third umpire, and the fourth umpire and the match referee, the scorer (it escaped all)."
"But humans do make mistakes. We don't want a controversy. Hopefully it would not happen to us again or to any other side."
'It's difficult to pick Malinga'
Dhoni now has established credentials as a top-class finisher in ODIs.
"Basically, it's (the mind) blank. For example, it's difficult to pick Lasith Malinga. He can bowl yorkers at will. It's important to be blank. What you do is to back yourself to hit those four runs. You see the ball and look to hit it. The more you play in these circumstances, the better you get."
Dhoni and Ravichandran Ashwin added crucial 28 runs and the skipper said that he had advised the offie not to play thinking about the yorker.
"Malinga has yorker and a very good slower one which he disguises very well. It's difficult for the lower order to pick him up consistently. All I said (to Ashwin) was to wait for the ball, but don't plan for a yorker. If you see it, react to it. But he was deceived by a slower delivery and got out."
Dhoni had words of praise for Gambhir
Dhoni's burden with the lower-order has only increased because Suresh Raina hasn't fired to the extent his talent demands.
"The only one consistent lower down the order was Yuvraj Singh at number six. It's a very difficult position to bat. Raina has done decently well. That's a position you have to chip in with 25-ball 30-40 runs. You need to get the game closer (towards the target). If one of the top order batsman is around, you look to win the game."
Dhoni had words of praise for Gambhir and also a few words of consolation for getting him run out.
"Once he gets going, he really comes up with big scores. He looks to bat 35-40 overs. He plays spinners very well and runs between the wickets well. It was a wrong call (to get him run-out). It was difficult for him to come back. It really changed the game for us. He was using the pace of the bowlers and we were running really well."