Mumbai, March 15: India has an enviable batting line-up and arguably the best that we’ve ever had because there is a nice combination of batting where everyone has a different approach. Like Virender Sehwag will go after the bowling from the word go and then we have [Sachin] Tendulkar.

In case you have difficult batting conditions, Tendulkar is somebody who will make sure there aren’t too many wickets lost at the top of the order and I think Virat Kohli has been a great addition. He is another guy who has a bit of solidity apart from being an attacking player as well. So then you have two guys like Virat Kohli and Tendulkar, solid and equipped with four gears while batting. Then there are, of course, people with flair like Yuvraj Singh, Virender Sehwag; Gautam Gambhir who is also versatile; and then MS Dhoni who can absorb the pressure. Finally, Yusuf Pathan who can make the impossible possible. That is an excellent batting line-up. And these days, it’s a batting line-up that is good in most conditions around the world.

On MS Dhoni

I think Dhoni is a gift to Indian cricket. I really feel for the guy who comes from a small town - the kind of confidence that he has to be amongst the superstars [is commendable]. When he came in he was relatively young and then he was put in charge of a team which had senior players, but he never crossed the line. He was always respectful to them and didn’t come out looking like a ‘yes man’ either. And the calm that he keeps in a country like India [is noteworthy]. We need people who can simplify things and keep things rational. With the kind of following that the game commands, sometimes things become a bit irrational, so he is a great guy to have.

On India’s handling of pressure

I think India are handling the pressure beautifully. They have shown that they are not concerned too much [about the expectations]. I don’t think they give too much thought to what’s happening outside.

On Suresh Raina

Suresh Raina is good to have in the reserves. But one thing to worry about is that when you need somebody to buckle down and rough it out in challenging batting conditions, can he do it? Virat Kohli has shown that he can do it by playing so well in South Africa in the one-day series. Raina’s favourite shot is the punch that he plays through the mid-wicket. It’s amazing the distance that he gets for somebody who is not that strong or big. That’s something great with Raina.

Manjrekar’s picks

Umpire Decision Review System

As far as technological intervention and the changing position on UDRS is concerned, all of us are feeling around it a bit as it is a new thing. The majority felt that we should have technology in the game - that’s where they have gone. They have embraced technology with this new addition. Certain questions will come up which we have not foreseen. It’s natural for it to happen, it’s a new experience for everyone. In a year or two we will know exactly how much technology has helped improve the game.

Finally, it’s not about just eradicating human errors it’s also about making sure that the game is still very appealing from the viewers’ point of view while being fair to both teams. My personal view is that human errors should be part of cricket. We have to wait and see whether technology actually takes the game forward in the next two years. If not, then I think you will see a sort of retracting. We will go a little back on the technology being used.

(As told to Prajakta Pawar)