Wicketkeepers are ideal to double up as captains in the shortest version of cricket as they can take split-second decisions with ease, said Indian team's manager Lalchand Rajput as he justified Mahendra Singh Dhoni's promotion as skipper for the forthcoming Twenty20 World Cup.
Brushing aside concerns that the additional burden of captaincy might affect the Ranchi-born swashbuckler's batting abilities in South Africa, Rajput said, "I don't think there will be extra pressure. He's a person with a very strong head."
"In this form of the game a wicketkeeper knows what's happening on the field and can take better decisions. You have to take decisions quickly as there's no time to think and the moment you [as captain] think it's over", said the former Test opener.
"It's [keeper-captain] an advantage in this format as you have to stay focused only for 20 overs and take decisions in a short period of time", said the former Mumbai cricketer.
"Plus Dhoni has been in the Indian team for the last couple of years, has played under Rahul [Dravid] and Sourav [Ganguly] and with Sachin [Tendulkar] and must have gained from the experience," said the ex-India A and under-19 coach.
"He has a very good work ethic too. As a captain you need to set an example and I am sure he will do well", Rajput said ahead of the team's departure on Sunday for the September 11-24 tournament.
Rajput felt that experienced players like Virender Sehwag, Harbhajan Singh and Irfan Pathan, who were ignored for the current tour of England, would be hungry for success and would adjust to the conditions in South Africa very fast.
"I wouldn't say Sehwag, Harbhajan and Irfan would be rusty, but definitely they would be short of international match practice. Players of their calibre who have been playing long enough at the international level would adapt to the situation quickly".
"Looking at it positively, I will say they will be really hungry to play in this tournament as it is a World Cup and they are eager to make a comeback. They would be going into the tournament with a lot of vigour," he said.
Rajput felt that bowlers can do well even in this form of the game which everyone feels is loaded overwhelmingly in favour of the batsmen.
"I don't agree that bowlers don't have a say in this format. The game is more in favour of the batsmen. Smart bowlers who can mix things up and read the batsman's mind can do reasonably well", he said.
"The wickets can be a bit tricky early on in the season. It will be slightly cold as well and ball will do a lot. But normally in Twenty20 wickets are very flat. Though one cannot predict the weather, I feel bowlers will get [the assistance of] some juice [on the wickets] to start with", the former Test batsman added.
Rajput expressed some concern over the fact that India would be going into the tournament without playing practice ties in South Africa unlike most other teams.
"Yes, that's one area [in which] we are lacking but it's the same for teams like England and India because of the schedule of international cricket. The team members know it and as professional cricketers they have to adjust and adapt to the situation quickly and I am sure if you are playing for the country you have to do it," he said.
"Our players can definitely cope up with this format and that is why the team is a mix of seniors and juniors, basically who are good fielders and good runners between the wickets," he said.
While agreeing that the absence of media hype that was evident ahead of the March-April 50-over World Cup in advantage could be a blessing, Rajput felt the players will have to cope up with the additional pressure of representing the country in a Twenty20 World Cup for the first time.
"That's [absence of hype] one aspect, but any big tournament has its inherent pressures and challenges. There will be pressure in playing for India whether its a Test match, 50 overs or 20 overs," he said.
"On the contrary I feel pressure would be more because it is for the first time that we are playing in a Twenty20 World Cup", he pointed out.
Rajput felt no team could be called a favourite for this format as sides would not have time to make a comeback after a bad start.
"The good thing is that in this format nobody is a favourite because any team can win a game if it plays well on that day. This game affords even less number of chances of a comeback than the 50-over game. In a 50-over match you can come back even after 5 or 6 [bad] overs, but not in this format," Rajput said.
Rajput felt the team would miss the experienced trio of Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid and Sourav Ganguly, who have opted out of the event.
He, however, considered it an opportunity for the youngsters to steal the show.
"Who doesn't want to have Sachin, Rahul and Sourav in the team? But looking at the positives this is an opportunity for the youngsters and it's a very good platform to perform," he said.
On temperamental Pakistan speedster Shoaib Akhtar, who has been sent back home from South Africa on disciplinary grounds, Rajput said all the teams would benefit from the absence of bowler of his speed.
"It's [game's format] in the batsmen's favour, but any bowler of that pace can swing the game with his express deliveries. If he's not there its good luck to other teams but irrespective of who's there or not you have to perform on that particular day," he said.
The Indian team had enough utility cricketers like Yousuf Pathan and Rohit Sharma, according to Rajput.
"Yes, there are utility men like Yousuf Pathan. He's a batsman who is a brilliant fielder and can bowl a bit too. Then we have Rohit Sharma who has got a 100 in a Twenty20 game and can also bowl off spinners", he said.
