Team India beaten Fair and Square!!!

It was heartening to see the Indian performance at lord’s against the west indies yesterday… which other team could have stretched a match till the 19^th over when the captain himself is playing for the opponents?? Team India made me proud that way. Here is where one should appreciate the tactical brilliance of Mahendra Singh Dhoni. No other captain in the history of cricket has given his team a sterner test to assess its efficient functioning… “you guys will play for team India while I will be playing for west indies today…lets see how your competitive juices flow as you attempt to thwart my purpose.” It was a clear message given by one of the best captains in the world today.

He started purposefully with the bat, his intent was clear cut…don’t get out soon and don’t score runs…a clear two way ambush on team India. He would have handed the match to the windies in the first innings itself had it not been for one of the finest displays of batting one has ever witnessed from the silken yuvraj. Ok… India managed to be on par with dhoni… if not beat him during their batting stint.

Bowling proved to be a more tricky affair…India started off well…in fact dhoni’s men (west indies) were on the back foot till the half point i.e. tenth over. But dhoni kept slipping in overs from ishant sharma and ojha after comprehending that they were both off colour for the day…he kept irfan away from the bowling crease when he saw the fire in the all rounder’s belly during the opening 2 over spell. India still managed to hold their end but were totally unprepared for the dhoni master stroke… a great fielding stop by ojha at fine leg resulted in both windies batsmen (bravo and simmons) stranded on the same end of he pitch and a run out looked inevitable…that’s when Dhoni performed the last judas act…he broke off the stumps without collecting ojha’s throw, hence saving his team from losing a crucial wicket…team India could only lookon in despair and marvel at their captain’s genius…they had indeed been neaten fair and square by one man and his tactical brilliance…kudos to M S Dhoni!!!