Asia Cup 2018: MS Dhoni brings out the pull shot as he gears up for Pakistan challenge - Watch

Not known to play the pull shot too often, MS Dhoni was seen playing the shot quite a few times at the nets on Monday as he understands that the Pakistan bowlers might look to tuck him up by bowling around his ribs.

Over the last season, there have often been questions raised about MS Dhoni the batsman and his diminishing ability to rotate the strike in the middle of an ODI innings. But if video footages of his training at the ICC academy in the lead-up to India’s opening game against Hong Kong on Tuesday is anything to go by, the former India skipper means business.

File image of MS Dhoni. (AP)

BCCI posted a video of his batting at the nets on Twitter which read: “In focus and in the zone 📹😎 @msdhoni #TeamIndia #AsiaCup2018.”

Not known to play the pull shot too often, Dhoni was seen playing the shot quite a few times as he realizes that the Pakistan bowlers might look to tuck him up by bowling around his ribs. With regular skipper Virat Kohli rested and Rohit Sharma leading the young team, Dhoni will have to shoulder a lot of responsibility in the middle-order as the likes of Ambati Rayudu. Kedar Jadhav and Manish Pandey are yet to cement their place in the limited-overs outfit.

Interestingly, former India batsman Sanjay Manjrekar believes India are one of the main contenders to lift the ongoing Asia Cup, but Pakistan are the favourites given that the Pakistan outfit has been playing in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) regularly.

Pakistan begun their Asia Cup campaign by routing minnows Hong Kong by eight wickets on Sunday and have the added advantage of playing in the UAE, their “home” ground.

“I think Pakistan start as favourites more than India, because they have been playing in those conditions (in the UAE) for a while now and it’s a team which is on the surge. India, of course, are resting Virat (Kohli), which takes a lot of strength away from the team,” Manjrekar said.

According to Manjrekar, who donned the national colour in 37 Tests and 74 One Day Internationals, the wrist spin duo of Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav has made the Indian team more balanced.

“India is a very good 50 overs outfit. India in the Test matches struggled a bit overseas, but if you look at their 50-over record, it’s very good in all conditions.

“Earlier, India had batting strength but the bowling did not quite measure up. Now they also have game changers in the middle, so the team wins more matches than it used to because of Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav in the middle. It’s a more balanced 50 overs team in a long, long time,” Manjrekar said.