India's limited-overs skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni on Tuesday said that his side are currently running on the top gear, but admitted that they have to maintain their intensity from the very first game of the World T20.
"I think we are running on the sixth gear," Dhoni told reporters here ahead of their first warm-up against West Indies on Thursday. "I think how we are playing cricket and the kind of stuff we are doing on the field is adequate enough for any level of game and we have to keep our intensity up and the focus should be there right from the very first ball.
"I don't think there are any other gears left to operate upon. But will be very happy with how we progress."
The 34-year-old insisted that the team looks extremely settled at the moment and had also gained confidence from their recent streak of success in the T20 format.
Talking about their preparations for the T20 format's pinnacle event, Dhoni said, "I think we have had a perfect scenario. We started in Australia playing three T20 followed by a bilateral series at home and then tournament like Asia Cup we played. So we are looking on track. Every department is performing well. I think it is very important to be at the top of the game in every important match and knockout round."
The wicketkeeper-batsman also called on his side to head into the tournament gradually, adding that the team should focus on a particular game at a time rather than the whole tournament.
"We have to get into the tournament slowly. Take one game at a time. Every game will important. All sides are strong. There are a few players in each team who can lead their side to victory. I think slow and steady progress is very important rather than thinking too far ahead that how we will perform in finals. I feel the performance in the finals will depend upon the way we start the tournament and build up with each game," Dhoni stressed.
Admitting that he was ready for the challenge ahead, Dhoni expressed that he hoped to replicate the same kind of role that he had displayed in the recently-concluded Asia cup.
Dhoni executed his role as finisher perfectly in the Asia Cup final, smashing 20 runs off just six balls against Bangladesh to guide India to their sixth continental title.
India will head into the World T20 as the number one-ranked team, where they will play their opening match against New Zealand on March 15.
