'We're confident of batting first or chasing' - Dravid

Mahendra Singh Dhoni has no fixed batting position, exemplifying India's flexible approach © AFP

He may be just one good game away from trumping Pakistan on their home turf but Rahul Dravid continues to stress on the strategies, plans and processes, rather than results. Returning to the ground where he led India to their first Test win in Pakistan, on that memorable March morning in 2004, Dravid spoke about Pakistan's ability to bounce back and hoped that his side could continue to excel in all three departments of the game.

"We need one more day of good cricket to win the series and we're confident we can do it here [Multan]," he said while speaking ahead of the fourth ODI. "We've shown in the last two games that we can do well in all three departments of the game and we need to continue to implement our strategies. It's heartening to see our plans working well. If it helps us win, then very good."

In the last year, though Pakistan have shown a tremendous ability to fight back and Dravid will remember the home series last year when India frittered away a 2-0 advantage. "Pakistan are a very good team," he continued and brushed aside suggestions that they were weakened by injuries to a couple of key players. "They are a fine side even without Shahid Afridi and Shoaib Akhtar and we can't sit back and relax. We are also missing Harbhajan Singh and Virender Sehwag, two players who have been critical parts of our success, but it all comes down to the team that plays better cricket on the day."

India have got on a hot chasing streak ever since Dravid took over as one-day captain, successfully overhauling targets in their last nine attempts, but he said there was no preference to bat second. "It all comes down to playing good cricket," he continued, "and we're confident of batting first or chasing. We have a good record chasing but we have plans and strategies for any eventuality."

Flexibility has been the key to India's triumphs while chasing and Dravid admitted that having a player like Mahendra Singh Dhoni was a big advantage. "There's been no rigid stand with his batting position. At Peshawar he batted at No.4 and did well; at Rawalpindi, we kept him back. The idea is to give batsmen a chance to bat in all positions and challenge themselves in tough situations."

India have been hampered by Harbhajan's injury, and didn't pick a specialist spinner in their playing XI at both Rawalpindi and Lahore, but Dravid looked at it as an opportunity for the part-time spinners to prove their worth. "[Sachin] Tendulkar has bowled well in the last two games," he said, "and we're trying to develop him, Virender Sehwag, Yuvraj Singh and Suresh Raina as the fifth bowling option. The only way of developing them is by giving them a chance in important situations. We've usually picked a bowler as a Supersub but we will have more options if these players bowl well."