Dhoni in focus ahead of ODIs

23-Year-old Mahendra Singh Dhoni, all set to make his debut when India take on Bangladesh in the first one-day cricket international here on...

23-Year-old Mahendra Singh Dhoni, all set to make his debut when India take on Bangladesh in the first one-day cricket international here on Thursday, will have some standards to maintain as he steps in for Dinesh Kaarthick who has done well behind the stumps in the longer version of the game.

What will then come handy to Dhoni is the flexibility to bat at any position in the line-up since India’s opening pair is set. ‘‘For India ‘A’, I have opened the innings and also batted at number three. But throughout my career, I have batted at seven-eight,’’ said Dhoni. ‘‘I am open to bat at any position to suit the team’s needs. I can bat in the middle order. At times, the team may want me to go up as pinch hitter, I have done that also.’’

At the nets here, as he caught a few hits, batted and even bowled, he drew attention more than Yuvraj Singh, not long ago the blue-eyed boy of Indian cricket. Adding to Dhoni’s charisma were his funky locks that bounced in the golden twilight as he ran around.

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The Jharkhand player, who calls himself a ‘‘natural strokemaker’’, earned rave reviews after his performance on the India ‘A’ tour of Zimbabwe and Kenya earlier this year.

Coach John Wright, the other day, defended the selectors’ decision to bring in Dhoni in place of Kaarthick. ‘‘From all reports that we have received, he is suited for the one-day game, and the selectors thought it was time to give him a chance. It is tough on Kaarthick but that is what the selectors had to decide, and it is not a bad thing,’’ Wright said.