The game aside, as Australian skipper Michael Clarke has announced his retirement from the One-day cricket after the WC, the debate over Dhoni's future is certain to be picked over in next few days
INDIA’S DREAM run in the World Cup came to an inglorious end when they succumbed to the formidable Australians, who decimated the defending champions by 95 runs to romp into the finals, breaking a billion Indian hearts.
As I write this just after Australia’s clear win against New Zealand at the famous Melbourne Cricket Ground in the World Cup final, I have to admit the best team in the tournament has emerged as winners.
India’s quest for a second successive World Cup title was thwarted by the clinical Australians, who outplayed Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s men in every department. As the four-time champions rode on Steve Smith’s classy 105 to post an imposing 328 for seven, for the Indians neither bowling nor batting clicked when it mattered the most.
Skipper Dhoni stood tall amid a disappointing batting show as he waged a lone battle to take India past the 200-run mark and make a match of it despite the steep asking rate.
But the Indians had themselves to blame for the loss. The bowling unit, which had performed admirably till now, failed to deliver when it mattered the most; the batting too crumbled under pressure.
The defending champions’ tame surrender came as an anti-climax to the team’s almost outstanding performance, which had seen them win seven consecutive matches in the tournament.
“There is pressure when you’re chasing 320 runs and we have seen in cricket that pressure makes you do things you don’t really want to do,” the skipper admitted later.
“At the start of the tournament, a lot of people didn’t really think we’ll come so far but at the same time when you come to the knockouts you have to lift your game,” he said.
Indeed, India’s sudden transformation from inept tourists to being the favourites to lift the Cricket World Cup had seemed surreal. No one gave India a chance to defend their title after an apathetic performance in the Tri-series lending credence to the belief that India can’t handle the bounce and pace of Australian and New Zealand wickets.
Watching hapless Indian bowlers bowl on those wickets and seeing their batsmen being bundled out, it was likely they were going to return home early from the World Cup.
Simply put, there wasn’t much optimism on this team’s prospects. After yet another disastrous tour overseas, at best people expected a quarterfinal berth. And that is because the format is such that it is really difficult to eliminate top teams (unless you are England).
After the WC 2007 debacle, the ICC ensured India are not knocked out of tournaments early and moved to just a twogroup format where one could somehow manage the next stage.
But cricket has always offered fairy tales, whether it is plucky Kapil Dev’s men in the 1983 World Cup or astute Imran Khan’s team in the 1992 edition.
Suddenly, our listless bowling became biting and batting transformed as if we were batting on subcontinent wickets. The fielding was sharp too and the Indian team actually looked one of the best in its weak zone of fielding. Indian cricket too moved from a sour spot to a sweet zone with all parts working well.
India won seven out of seven matches and their campaign never looked as good in any of the World Cups. A team which looked so shoddy before the WC, had suddenly acquired a fearsome stature, becoming the team to beat and top favourites to become the champion again.
The bowling attack — which was plundered in the Tests and Tri-series — was tight and consistent. The advent of line and length without sacrificing on the pace by Umesh Yadav and Mohammed Shami gave India’s bowling that missing zing, desperately needed on juicier wickets in Australia.
India bowled out their opponents in all seven matches, a rare sight for the Indian fans. The clinically demolished UAE and the West Indies in Perth and were exceptional against South Africa at the MCG. The highlight of the Indian bowling: They bounced out the Proteas batsmen with their sheer pace as Hashim Amla, a batsman with a Test average of 53 and who honed his skills on bouncy Durban pitches, fell victim to the sharp bowling. The pace trio complemented each other with Yadav hitting the length hard, Shami bowling full and Mohit Sharma tight.
Pace apart, India re-established their impeccable credentials in Spin — the one aspect which has been their forte in the bowling department.
Spin has been the crux of this bowling line-up as they provided the breakthrough on crucial junctures just when the batsmen looked set. Ravichandran Ashwin in the match against Pakistan broke the crucial stand between Ahmed Shehzad and Haris Sohail, while it was Ravindra Jadeja who put the brakes on South Africa.
India’s batting has always been their strength but they seemingly rely too heavily on Virat Kohli. During the Test series, India often struggled once Kohli was dismissed. Shikhar Dhawan, Suresh Raina, Ajinkya Rahane and Rohit Sharma have made runs recently and look in great form. Though India’s batting looked stacked, it failed to carry the day when it was most crucial.
India’s fielding has been sizzling all through the tournament. The two game changing run outs of AB de Villiers and David Miller in the match against South Africa and the sensational dismissal of Imrul Kyles by Jadeja defined the presence of mind and agility of the Indian fielders.
India seemed to have all their combinations correct, well-placed to challenge for the World Cup. Despite predictions flying that it would be a twoteam race between Australia and South Africa, India emerged as a genuine threat. Going by the form of the defending champions, the Kangaroos needed something special to stop the Indian juggernaut.
As Australian skipper Michael Clarke has announced his retirement from the One-day cricket after the WC, the debate over Dhoni’s future is certain to be picked over in next few days. With the change in BCCI regime, Dhoni also understands that his saviour and influential former BCCI president N Srinivasan may not be able to use his influence to save his position. But then he still has few years of cricket left in him. Even if selectors decide to appoint a new skipper for Men in Blues, Dhoni’s presence in the team, unless he decide otherwise, look certain for the time being.