Pacers' fitness, a worry for MS Dhoni

Updated on: 17 January,2011 08:57 AM IST |
Sai Mohan |

Senior India pacer Ashish Nehra has figures of 13-1-105-2 from the two one-dayers against South Africa thus far, conceding above eight runs per over

Senior India pacer Ashish Nehra has figures of 13-1-105-2 from the two one-dayers against South Africa thus far, conceding above eight runs per over. However, India skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni is least worried about Nehra's form. If anything, he is concerned about the fitness of his quick bowlers, and lack of quality pace reserves.

The two fast bowlers who played all three Tests against South Africa ufffd S Sreesanth and Ishant Sharma ufffd are a part of the current 16-man ODI squad. However, Dhoni is clearly in no mood to put his faith behind either bowler when it comes to the shorter format. "I am not worried about the form of the fast bowlers. If anything, I am worried about their fitness. We have to see how they are shaping up ahead of the World Cup," he said.

We don't have too many to choose from though. Ishant and Sreesanth haven't played too much one-day cricket recently. We don't want any bowler to sustain an injury because of an overburden. The World cup is very important, but this series is important too."

Zaheer, Munaf, Nehra and Praveen Kumar, who is currently nursing an elbow injury, are expected to form the pace-attack in the final 15-man World Cup squad. There's little room for either Sreesanth, Ishant or any of the other reserves.

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