“The Asia Cup offered us a good build-up. It depends on the way we start. I do not think I will have to worry about the final. We will have to worry about the preparation and execution,” Dhoni said at a news conference on Tuesday.

“We will go into warm-up games and take one game at a time. All sides are very good. Every side has two or three players who can win match on their own. I feel slow and steady progress is very important,” was how the Indian captain preferred to look at the big assignment.

Dhoni had all the reason to feel confident as India has won the last seven matches on the trot and 10 out of the 11 T20 matches it played in the last two months. India won two series — against Australia and Sri Lanka — before lifting the Asia Cup title. “I think we are running on sixth gear and the kind of stuff we are doing on the field is adequate for any level of game. We have to see that the focus should be on from the very first ball. I think everything is set and there are no other gears to operate upon. I am really quite happy with the progress,” Dhoni said.

The Indian captain hoped that the team would not be hit by any fitness problems during the World Cup for which he will be forced to tweak the winning combination. “Fitness will be one of the concerns. Because of fitness you may lose one of the first eleven. Unless it is a ball-hit injury or like that, we will be quite happy,” Dhoni said.

Negating the home advantage, the Indian limited-overs captain said the shorter format of the game keep keeps it open for every team in the tournament. “Let us not say it is happening in India so it belongs to us. Especially in the shorter formats the difference becomes smaller and smaller. Every team has a chance and if we play to our potential and execute our plans then we definitely have a chance,” Dhoni said.

Dhoni, whose six-ball cameo of 20 not out helped India win the Asia Cup comfortably, said he would prefer to keep his role to that. “Ninety per cent of time I will be playing the same kind of role as I played in the Asia Cup. Playing a 10-12 ball innings is what I would prefer. I am ready for the challenges,” Dhoni said preferring keep himself as the team’s crisis resolver.

“When it comes to my role, I felt not everybody can be flexible according to needs. At times if you have a good partnership, and if you have the flexibility and adaptability the job becomes easier. This kind of adaptability is needed,” he was specific about the contribution he intended to make.