Johannesburg, Sept. 19: If there is one man certain to be pleased by Australia’s stunning recovery from the loss of the Ashes this summer in England, it is Mahendra Singh Dhoni. With Ricky Ponting’s men on a roll in the seven-match ODI series against the Old Enemy, at least some of the focus that would otherwise have come on the Indians as pre-tournament favourites for the 2009 ICC Champions Trophy, has now shifted away.

Yet, he is also aware that India take to the field in every tournament carrying massive expectations of millions back home, for whom a win by their team is the only logical outcome. And with the Men in Blue having travelled here on the back of a rare tournament victory in Sri Lanka, the pressure is certainly on, especially with six ODI series wins over the last 24 months.

Speaking at his first interaction with the media just hours after Team India flew into the Oliver Tambo International Airport here on Saturday via Dubai, Dhoni said his boys will look to make the most of coach Gary Kirsten’s vast knowledge of local conditions in the 50-over tournament, the former batsman having played 185 one-dayers for South Africa.

"He is one of the best coaches I have come across, not just because of the amount of experience he has but because of the kind of guy he is," Dhoni said. Excerpts:

On South African wickets: It definitely helps that Gary played here all his life and has plenty of experience. We have been gathering information from him and he knows what will happen at certain venues, we are lucky to have him.

On fielding: I’m not saying we can’t field but... we will be asking everyone to raise their standards by 20 percent. Fielding can really contribute to your success. If you don’t give away those extra 10 to 15 runs, or you make it look like you have saved 20 to 30 runs in the field, it can give you a vital cushion.

On the batting: Our batsmen have been scoring runs against all fast bowlers in all kind of conditions. We have shifted the batting order quite a few times recently and it may be the same in this tournament.

On T20 versus ODI cricket: The question about 50-over cricket goes on in the media and will stay for a while. Every press conference you know the question will definitely pop up. I think 50-over cricket is here to stay, I feel it is quite interesting. It’s a format where you can’t afford to be too flashy, you need to be technically sound and pace your innings.