Date:31/08/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/08/31/stories/2008083155961900.htm

Sport - Cricket

Victorious team arrives

Special Correspondent

— Photo: A. Muralitharan

TRIUMPHANT RETURN: Skipper M.S. Dhoni, who led India to a series victory against Sri Lanka, arrives at the Chennai airport.

Chennai: Captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni and several members of the victorious Indian ODI team arrived here from Sri Lanka on Saturday afternoon. India clinched the five-match ODI series 3-2.

The Indian cricketers appeared relaxed and in good spirits, greeting familiar faces and signing autographs. Dhoni, however, chose not to speak to a sizable media contingent.

The cricketers, excluding home boy S. Badrinath and off-spinner Harbhajan Singh, moved from the Anna International terminal to the Kamaraj domestic airport to board connecting flights. Harbhajan will fly out of Chennai after attending a function.

Badrinath, who made his ODI debut in the series, spoke to The Hindu about the spirit in the team. “We thought as a team first. Individuals came later. Our focus was on winning. It is a young side and the energy levels are high.”

He dwelt on his match-winning unbeaten 27 in the critical second game, a low scoring humdinger.

“Myself and Dhoni were the last specialist pair and we were under some pressure. Dhoni told me not to play with the pad in front and asked me to play with the bat since the Lankan spinners were looking for leg-before decisions.”