I will need to balance caution and aggression - Dhoni

Mahendra Singh Dhoni has said he will need to balance caution and aggression when he leads India in the Twenty20 World Championship.

"It's different being an aggressive batsman and an aggressive captain. Of course, that instinct will be there but you need to balance both," he said. "A lot depends on how the team responds to your leadership."

Dhoni said he has gained experience serving as deputy to Rahul Dravid in England. "His [Dravid's] ability to stay calm and cool under pressure ... As a captain you got to be in control even when things are not going your way. It helps if you keep your nerves in a tense situation and avoid doing things in a rush."

When asked if he was a natural when it came to leadership, Dhoni said, "That's for you guys to decide. But I am a natural. I like to do things my way and I take my own decisions in whatever I do." However, Dhoni, the first India player from the state of Jharkhand, said he never even expected to make the grade as a player, let alone being the captain. "To be honest, I never dreamt of playing for India. I just played the game for the love of it. So just to play for India was like a good fairytale.

"To be named captain is a bit more special because I'm just three years old in international cricket. It's a big opportunity. It's a big responsibility given to me and I'll give it my best shot."

In the absence of Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly, Dhoni would be leading a team with experienced players such as Virender Sehwag, Ajit Agarkar, Harbhajan Singh and Yuvraj Singh, along with newcomers such as Yusuf Pathan and youngsters such as Piyush Chawla and Rohit Sharma.

"It's a nice blend of youth and experience. It's nice to have a bit of experience to deal with a tight situation because they have been there and done that before. Then it's always good to have some young blood, players who are keen to prove themselves. Twenty20 cricket will be extremely demanding. It's a fast-paced game and fielding will be extremely important aspect of the game. Fresh legs will be an asset to the team."

He said the team had two dangerous batsmen in Sehwag and Yuvraj, who could match up with the best in the world. "Viru [Sehwag] is a proven performer, still one of the most feared strikers around in the game. Yuvi [Yuvraj] has been batting brilliantly and performing consistently in recent years. They are as good as any other player from other teams.

"Anyway, it's not about comparisons. It's about a team, about how well you gel as a group to get the desired result. If you play well as a team, you win."

Dhoni also shrugged off concerns that India lack enough experience in Twenty20. "We beat South Africa in South Africa in our only Twenty20 international in the middle of a disastrous one-day series [in 2006]. Although we definitely haven't played this game as much as England or Australia, we know what it's all about. I am an eternal optimist."

On key players to watch out for, Dhoni said, "There are lots of them - Adam Gilchrist, Ricky Ponting, Kevin Pietersen and so many others I can't name right away. There are plenty of good bowlers and batters who can do well. I also believe that spinners will have a role to play."

Dhoni also felt that Twenty20 was not loaded against the bowlers as it was made out to be. "Not really, otherwise the Australians wouldn't have picked the almost the same team they had for the World Cup. It is about how fit you are because you need to give more than hundred per cent every time. It will require high energy levels and it will take a lot out of you."