India's ODI captain MS Dhoni feels that losing Sachin Tendulkar before the one-day series could be crucial for the team.

"Losing Sachin Tendulkar at this point of time can be crucial. It is very difficult to fill the space when it comes to Sachin. He not only contributes with the bat and the ball his impact in the dressing room is great," Dhoni told reporters on his arrival.

"Players look up to him and he always come up with brilliant suggestion and advices on the field as well. Talent wise and advice point of view it is very difficult to fill in his space," he said.

Tendulkar, who jarred his left elbow while fielding in the third and final Test, has been ruled out of the ODI series after he was prescribed three-week rest.

Dhoni, however, challenged his younger team members grab the opportunity to make a mark at this level.

"At the same time cricket goes on. It is upto the guys who have been given a chance over here to perform and to prove that they are good enough for international cricket.

"At times, we have seen that when such a thing arises in the international scenario the youngsters come up, they accept the responsibility. They take it as a challenge. Hopefully, it will be great to see someone who has just made his mark in the international level to really perform at the top," he said.

"It is one of the toughest places to play cricket. It is not easy. You don't really see loads of runs in the one-dayers because the wickets are quite slow. You have to work for your runs. It will be interesting," he said.

Dhoni, who is returning after a break, said he missed the three-match Test series because he was not in a position to give his best to the side.

"There was a very good chance that if I had continued for some more time I could have got injured. I think physically I am more conditioned now. That break was very important," he said.

"Physically for the games I was always ready. Even in the finals of the Asia Cup I played. It was never the injury issue or a fitness aspect. I think I was not really 100 per cent at the practice session and all the things that I was doing really sent a bad message to the rest of the side," he said.

"If you have playing for the country then you have to be 100 per cent whether you are practicing playing games or everything."

The 2008 Khel Ratna awardee insisted it was important to be in the positive frame of mind to consistently perform at the highest level.

"To do consistently well at the international level you have to be at the same frame of mind. In a positive frame of mind. There are of course ups and downs. That always goes through a cricketer's mind. We will try to keep the positive frame of mind till the end of the series and the coming practice games," he said.

On his strategy to tackle mystery spinner Ajantha Mendis, Dhoni said he was a bit different but the team would soon learn to cope against him.

"It is very tough to say anything right now. We will get to know about Mendis and how we are coping against him in the next few days. It all depends on what you are doing. At least, we know what are the deliveries that he bowls, how he bowls. But of course he is a bit different."

You need to get some time for yourself. Got to see what he is bowling. What length he is bowling and everything else. You have to frame your mind," Dhoni said.

"Depends on the individual more than anything else. You can see a thousand videos or you can see what ever you want to. Ultimately, what matters is how you play him on the turf on the wicket. So we will practice to the best. But after all it depends on what your frame of mind is on the wicket," he added.

Dhoni hoped youngsters would make a difference in the series.

"We have quite a few youngsters in the side. I hope they will make a difference in the series. We have a quite a few experienced players as well those who have played more than 150 one-day internationals.

"It is a good side and in the Bangalore session players were up to the mark. The intensity was great. Cricket skill was the main area where we were watching," he said.

He refused to comment on the recently concluded Test series but said it was toughest venue to keep wickets.

"I would stick to the one dayers. I won't like really to comment on what happened in the Test series. Why some of the bowlers did not perform or the batsmen did not perform.

"Personally, I feel Sri Lanka is one of the toughest venues to keep wickets. Last time when I came here I never had a great time. Somehow it is tough to keep wickets in Sri Lanka. I will not blame Dinesh Kaarthick or Parthiv Patel. It is just that conditions are tough," he said.