Dhoni wary of WI pace attack

MS Dhoni, India's captain, has said that the West Indies fast bowlers will be a force to contend with in the first Test on a Sabina Park track that promises to have some bounce and carry.

"West Indies have a good bowling attack. They have bowlers who can bowl fast, and if they can bowl at the right areas they can cause problems to the batsmen. That's what Test cricket is all about, you have to negotiate good bowlers and balls, and as a batsman you need to push the bowlers to bowl into your zone.

"So it will be a good competition for our batsmen. I think the wicket here will be different from the first three one-dayers where the ball turned a lot."

With Zaheer Khan and Sreesanth back in India recovering from injuries and Munaf Patel struggling with an elbow problem that threatens to put him out of the first Test against West Indies, Dhoni said the fitness of his bowlers will be the key factor if India are to do well in Test cricket in the near future. After playing three Tests against West Indies, India head to England for another four Tests.

"All the high profile series are coming up and what's important to keep all the bowlers fit," Dhoni said. "I think fitness is one area that can have a real impact because it's not a short format where you need to bowl only four overs or 10 overs. In Test match, you may need to bowl 15, 16, 17 overs, and sometimes close to or over 25 overs in an innings irrespective whether you are a fast bowler or spinner.

"So, I think fitness is the key because you need your best bowlers to play in the high-profile series and it's important for them in a space where they are physically and mentally fit, so that they can achieve that."

India are missing a few of their senior players but Dhoni preferred to see it as a great opportunity for the younger players to stake their claim to international cricket. "This is an ideal opportunity for each and every individual, and that's how I want everyone to look at it. What's important is to move them into the right direction, you know. Each and every individual who are part of this side want to enjoy cricket. You don't want them to be under pressure, thinking that we are not playing in India and we are playing abroad. So, what's important is to create an atmosphere where they love the challenge because if there is no challenge you can't prove the mettle you have.

"We tell the youngsters the importance of doing the small things right, and it's all about not thinking about the number of Test matches you have to play, or how many of them are outside India, and I think that will help us to perform consistently."

Dhoni was rested for the ODI series that India won 3-2, and said that the break helped him recover from minor niggles and refreshed him physically and mentally. "Personally, the break has helped me. All that small-small injuries vanish suddenly. You will have plenty of energy and you are not running on reserve battery, and you want to do more and more things in the net session, like giving time to wicketkeeping, batting or you may be bowling for fitness ... I am happy to be back in action."