Vizag, Sep 7: Fresh from an emphatic Test series win against the Black Caps, India are geared up to take on New Zealand in the first of the two T20Is here tomorrow. A side studded with some of the best T20 players, India are formidable opponents for any team. A grueling net session in the morning in preparation for the match tomorrow also saw India’s 2011 World Cup hero, Yuvraj Singh and ace spinner Harbhajan Singh practice as they look to make a comeback. However, in a squad packed with stalwarts of the game, who will play on September 8 remains to be seen. While speaking to the media later in the afternoon skipper MS Dhoni emphasised that the best eleven players suited to the conditions here will take the field tomorrow at the Dr. Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium.

Excerpts from the pre-match press-conference:

On the ground being special to him

I started [my career] over here. I have fond memories [of this place]. The wicket over hear looks good. There is something in it for the bowlers. The ball should come on to the bat nicely and the batsmen can play well too. So, it should be a good [wicket to play on].

On some senior players coming into the side

There is nothing like old players and young players; you have performers. Once you perform at whatever level for India, it can be in the IPL or the domestic circuit, you perform and you get into the side. The good thing is that these players will be slightly more experienced than other players and they will be wanting to cement their place in the side. So, it will good for them and the team.

On Yuvraj Singh’s comeback

We missed him for a long time. He has gone through tough times but he is enjoying it [cricket] right now. He had a net session and he looks very joyful. We missed him for close to a year now. I hope he comes back strong and enjoys the game. What we want from him as a team is to turn up on the field and enjoy the game.

On the importance of this T20 series ahead of the2012 ICC World T20

Every game is important. It is not about when you are playing; it is just that because we have World T20 after this it [this series] is more important. Every game has the same importance. It is a T20 International game so we will like to start well. It is one of those scenarios where instead of playing one game we are playing two games. It will be also be an opportunity for the players to get into the groove and then go into the World Cup [in Sri Lanka].

On the team line-up

This is the same team that is going to play the T20 World Cup. There is no such thing as testing the players. The best eleven for this condition will play the match. We will not experiment. We will play the best team.

On players who are making a comeback

It is difficult on the players when they are dropped from the Indian cricket team. Everybody wants to represent the team and everybody wants to do well. If you look at the positive side, these players will be really hungry to perform and be at their best at the top level so that they can cement their place, not the only in the T20 side but also in the ODI followed by Test matches. So, it is a platform for them to perform well. It is an opportunity for them [to perform] and it is a big positive for us.

On the plan for the match tomorrow

We need to stick to our game plan and to our strengths. We have to keep working on the areas that we need to work on, like the death overs and stuff like that. We are not thinking too much about the opposition [though] there is a bit of planning involved when you play a certain kind of opposition. But it is important to stick our strengths.

On what can the team and captain do to help a player like Yuvraj who is back after a scary illness

I feel we need to keep it [the situation] as normal as possible. [We] don’t create the hype around him because as an individual once you are out and come back, you, yourself do a bit of planning [about how you want to go about different things]. The whole world talks about it [the illness] and thinks as if they are helping him out. But it in a way it puts burden on the individual. So, it’s very important to keep it as normal as possible and not to let him think about what has really happened in his life. He has fought through it. He is a strong character. As I said, he needs to turn up and just enjoy cricket because that is what he has done right from underage cricket till now and so not think about anything else.