Manager Niranjan Shah (left) and Mahendra Singh Dhoni in Christchurch. Photo / Simon Baker
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Indian cricket captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni is adamant the mega-rich Twenty20 cricket leagues that have surfaced in his country have not been a distraction for him or his players.
Dhoni gave an assurance that the international game was still the first priority after the Indians arrived in Christchurch
yesterday for their first New Zealand tour in six years, starting with a Twenty20 international on Wednesday.
"I'm playing for my country so it's not about money," Dhoni said when asked if the huge cash incentives for playing Twenty20 cricket was threatening to overshadow one-day internationals and test cricket.
"With Indian cricket I know that if I'm playing for my country and doing well then I will get money that will be more than enough for me and my family so I don't think it is a distraction.
"The money flows in but one thing for sure is that if you're not playing good cricket then you won't get the money."
Indian Premier League side Chennai splashed out US$1.5 million ($3 million) for Dhoni's services when it launched last year, making him the top-paid player.
He was surpassed this year by Englishmen Andrew Flintoff and Kevin Pieterson, who both fetched US$1.55 million at auction.
Such figures weren't a distraction, Dhoni insisted.
"Playing cricket for your country is most important for us.
"Whatever fame or whatever status we have now is all because of that. It's about going on to the field and giving 100 per cent, day in-day out for India."
While India boasts such proven test batsmen as Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, V.V.S. Laxman and Virender Sehwag, Dhoni said their rise to the top had come through a team effort and that had been a focal point for the past year.
They are coming off home test series wins over Australia and England and, most recently, a 4-1 one-day series defeat of Sri Lanka.
"I'm proud to say that this Indian team is not relying on any individual. Everybody is contributing and everyone has a definite role to play in the side and that's what they are doing.
"If we fail to get a good start from the openers someone in the middle order stands up.
"If the batsmen don't score too many runs then it's the bowlers who stand up and take the opportunity to prove themselves and that's why we are winning more games."
- NZPA
