Dhoni proves Charles Darwin right
Another match, another win.
Except that Mahendra Singh Dhoni played an innings of a lifetime. Dhoni's ability to smack the bowlers around was never in doubt. That was evident when he hit 148 against Pakistan in April, 2005, at Visakhapatanam to script the Indian win.
But that he can go beyond what Virender Sehwag, Adam Gilchrist and SachinTendulkar has done in international cricket, was a revelation. Dhoni, it seems, can hit far into 2007. After the deed has been done, it looks awfully simple. Dhoni just couldn't get a single hit wrong in Jaipur. A chanceless innings.
Indian skipper Rahul Dravid, the man who promoted the wicketkeeper to No. 3slot, said it all. "Anyone who watched this game on television has beenprivileged to see one of the great one-day innings of our time. Words can'tdescribe what a great innings that was."
Dravid had decided, as skipper admitted after the match, to field Dhoni as No. 3 on Sunday morning.
He could only plan. Dravid and Greg Chappell could not have visualised the theatre that awaited Dhoni in Jaipur. On Monday afternoon, the Indian No. 3 had to transform himself into an opener.
Dhoni had to walk in earlier than usual as India lost Tendulkar in the first over itself. It was not the easiest of situations. India had to score run-a-ball to beat Sri Lanka.
Dhoni had kept wickets in the first half of the match and here he was opening the Indian batting. Yet Dhoni lived up to the challenge. He carried the bat through the Indian innings. He moulded and delivered India's victory when Sri Lankans gave them a teasing total.
Dhoni proves Charles Darwin right. Indian batsmen have evolved over the years.
The pressures of batting crease have made Indians fine-tune their aggressive instincts. So in the beginning we had a Mushtaq Ali,then we had Krishnamachari Srikkanth.
Sachin Tendulkar came along in the early 90s. A more explosive version you got in Virender Sehwag.
Now you have Dhoni. I'm sure Indians will invent more belligerent versions soon.
Already boys at Indian homes will be demanding more. More milk, rather than Pepsi.
The race is well and truly on to become the first man to crack the double century in one-day internationals.
Except that Mahendra Singh Dhoni played an innings of a lifetime. Dhoni's ability to smack the bowlers around was never in doubt. That was evident when he hit 148 against Pakistan in April, 2005, at Visakhapatanam to script the Indian win.
But that he can go beyond what Virender Sehwag, Adam Gilchrist and SachinTendulkar has done in international cricket, was a revelation. Dhoni, it seems, can hit far into 2007. After the deed has been done, it looks awfully simple. Dhoni just couldn't get a single hit wrong in Jaipur. A chanceless innings.
Indian skipper Rahul Dravid, the man who promoted the wicketkeeper to No. 3slot, said it all. "Anyone who watched this game on television has beenprivileged to see one of the great one-day innings of our time. Words can'tdescribe what a great innings that was."
Dravid had decided, as skipper admitted after the match, to field Dhoni as No. 3 on Sunday morning.
He could only plan. Dravid and Greg Chappell could not have visualised the theatre that awaited Dhoni in Jaipur. On Monday afternoon, the Indian No. 3 had to transform himself into an opener.
Dhoni had to walk in earlier than usual as India lost Tendulkar in the first over itself. It was not the easiest of situations. India had to score run-a-ball to beat Sri Lanka.
Dhoni had kept wickets in the first half of the match and here he was opening the Indian batting. Yet Dhoni lived up to the challenge. He carried the bat through the Indian innings. He moulded and delivered India's victory when Sri Lankans gave them a teasing total.
Dhoni proves Charles Darwin right. Indian batsmen have evolved over the years.
The pressures of batting crease have made Indians fine-tune their aggressive instincts. So in the beginning we had a Mushtaq Ali,then we had Krishnamachari Srikkanth.
Sachin Tendulkar came along in the early 90s. A more explosive version you got in Virender Sehwag.
Now you have Dhoni. I'm sure Indians will invent more belligerent versions soon.
Already boys at Indian homes will be demanding more. More milk, rather than Pepsi.
The race is well and truly on to become the first man to crack the double century in one-day internationals.
posted by johncheeran at
12:48 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
<< Home