BREAKING BARRIERS: Harbhajan Singh offers Shoaib Akhtar some water in Mohali on Wednesday. (AP)

Mohali: Mahendra Singh Dhoni might be all set to become India’s Test captain but he chose not to face the media on Wednesday, the eve of the second one-dayer against Pakistan.

Both he and vice-captain Yuvraj Singh failed to turn up for the mandatory press conference and it was left to local hero Harbhajan Singh to address the media.

Harbhajan, expectedly, ducked all queries on the captaincy issue. “It is time to concentrate on cricket, not the captaincy,” he said.

“Anyone who becomes captain should be good. We are all proud to play for India.”

Asked what he thought of the Mohali wicket, which many feel might help the pacers, Harbhajan said: “Wickets don’t really matter in one-day cricket. Most one-dayers are high-scoring matches. If we can play to our potential, we will go 2-0 up in the series.”

Pakistan coach Geoff Lawson said Pakistan could strengthen their pace attack as the wicket might not help the spinners as much as it did in Guwahati.

“We are not looking to make too many changes to the team,” he said, just adding that Sohail Tanveer might get a look in. “He has a long-term future. He is learning and will get more skilful over a period of time,” he said.

Lawson said his team would find a strategy to tackle the Indian spinners, who did a fine job in Guwahati.

“In the last match, the Indian spinners bowled well and contained our batsmen. We have given that some thought. Our batsmen now have a better idea about how to approach them. We have a plan to counter the Indian spinners,” he said.

Asked whether the mandatory change of ball after 34 overs was affecting the bowlers, the Aussie coach admitted that “it does make a difference. The spinners are suffering as they get a different ball.”