We will have to adapt quickly to conditions, says CSK skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni

Chennai Super Kings’ campaign in the last edition of Indian Premier League was hampered due to Dwayne Bravo’s injury which hurt the balance of their side and skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni is happy that the prolific all-rounder is back again to don the yellow jersey. “The good thing for us will be, we missed Dwayne Bravo during the IPL. He got injured. That really affected the strength, combination and stability of the side. It is good to have him (Bravo) back,” Dhoni said at a media conference in Hyderabad on Monday ahead of his team’s Champions League T20 opener against IPL champions Kolkata Knight Riders.Also, most of the players have been playing international cricket and most of them have scored runs in the recent series. So, it’s looking good. Still, we will have to see how quickly we adapt to the conditions,” he told reporters.
Questioned about the Gautam Gambhir-led KKR, Dhoni said,”I think KKR is a very good team. The fact is that we played against each other quite a few times, right from the start. With all the retention and everything coming in, most of the core group remains the same. They have their own strengths.”
“At the same time, we are a different side. We rely on different stuff. In fact, all the teams getting into the Champions League tournament, they will all be excellent sides. They will have their own weaknesses and they have their own strengths. So, you have to focus on that,” Dhoni said.
Replying to a query, he said that CLT20 can be unpredictable with even a single player being able to change the course of the match.
Quizzed on the dew factor and playing conditions, he said,”We will have to rely on is the fact, whether there is dew or not. All those things come into the scene. I think the Indian teams who are participating in the Champions League T20 have got a very good chance.”
“But, Twenty20 is a sort of a lottery cricket, where you have to be at your best on the particular day. Even one individual can take the game away from you or can win the game for you. Overall, we will have to wait and watch. But, I think every team has got fair amount of chance,” Dhoni said.
To another query, he said the presence of Indian players in a team plays a role in evoking the interest of the cricket fans in the country.
“It will lag behind a bit obviously. Because, IPL format is different. It is played for two months continuously and there are big Indian players in every team. The big international cricketers are present in the teams. The overall connect that exists, it increases,” said Dhoni.
He said that CLT20 is a brilliant concept but there are its pitfalls also when two overseas teams are pitted against each other.