World Cup build-up starts now - Dhoni

A day ahead of India's departure to Sri Lanka for the Asia Cup, MS Dhoni has said the tournament presents a chance to start zeroing in on the combination for the 2011 World Cup. Dhoni and several other senior members of the Indian team have had a month away from the treadmill of top-flight cricket, and will join several youngsters such as offspinner R Ashwin and quick bowler Ashok Dinda for the competition in Dambulla.

"This is the time, with 8-10 months to go for the World Cup, when you can make a few changes," Dhoni said in Chennai. "Once we get closer we want to play with a fixed side and give them more exposure, get them more used to the conditions."

Over the past few years, most venues in the subcontinent have laid out batsmen-friendly tracks for one-dayers but Dambulla, which hosts all matches of the Asia Cup, remains one of the exceptions. "It is an important tournament. We'll (seniors) be playing one-day cricket after quite a long time," Dhoni said. "Conditions will be a bit different, Dambulla is not one of the high-scoring venues, it will be important to keep that in the back of the head."

One of the talking points about the Indian squad has been the axing of Yuvraj Singh, who has struggled for form and fitness in the past several months. Dhoni said he was a 'fan' of Yuvraj and expected him to make a quick return to the team.

"Last couple of years, he has been the main strength of our middle order, definitely we will miss him," Dhoni said. "The kind of talent he has it shouldn't be difficult for him to come back."

The squad is also missing a quartet of young fast bowlers - Ishant Sharma, RP Singh, Sreesanth and Munaf Patel - whose form has declined after heartening starts to their international careers. Dhoni felt that with more experience they would return to their best. "It is a difficult job, when it comes to fast bowling in the subcontinent," Dhoni said. "The wickets are placid in ODIs, the more exposure they get, the better they will get."

The Asia Cup will be Dhoni's first assignment since the disastrous World Twenty20 campaign in the Caribbean last month. There had been reports of coach Gary Kirsten giving the team a dressing down after three defeats in the Super Eights led to an early exit, but Dhoni played down the issue.

"Gary had individual sessions, it was not to bring anybody down or point anybody down," Dhoni said. "It is the normal procedure we have most likely after every series, it was nothing more than that."