INDIA captain MS Dhoni has urged his side to finish their difficult summer with a flourish in Friday`s (September 16) final one-day international against England in Cardiff.
A dramatic tied match at Lord’s on Sunday (September 11) gave England, who are 2-0 up with one to play, the one-day series but Dhoni’s team have one last chance to get an international win this summer.
They were beaten 4-0 in the Test series, lost the only Twenty20 and were 2-0 with one no result going into the fourth one-dayer.
And Dhoni has demanded his side – who have been decimated by injuries – do not relax now that the series is gone.
“Every game is important,” Dhoni told reporters after Sunday’s game at Lord’s.
“Despite the fact we have lost the series every game is an international game. We all know we have lost the series but it is important to get the most out of that game and we want a victory in the final game of the whole series.”
For some of the younger players Friday’s match is their last opportunity to impress their captain before England play five one-dayers in India before Christmas.
Dhoni has lost eight players to injury on this tour including big names such as Sachin Tendulkar and Virender Sehwag and expects the youngsters to make way for the established players when they host the five-match series.
Players such as 22-year-old Ravindra Jadeja, 24-year-old Ravichandran Ashwin and 23-year-old Ajinkya Rahane have featured in this series but may have to take a back seat when the veterans are fit again.
Dhoni added: “We have quite a few players who we have to get fit and who will be back in the one-day squad.
“We will not be as good a fielding side as we are now but you shouldn’t forget that most of the grounds in India are quite small and there is not as much opportunity for the batsmen to take twos and threes.
“Everybody is considered but you have to see who is available. It becomes difficult when you have senior players who are missing this series.
“They always get the upper hand so it is tough for the youngsters but this is a good grooming period and once their time comes we all know they will be there for the next five or ten years.”
