When India realised they weren’t that team, they must have been shattered. You could hear it in captain MS Dhoni’s voice. Now the challenge for him is to ensure that the criticism from the sidelines doesn’t overshadow this side’s otherwise spotless World Cup performance. After all, India lost not one game through the tournament till they crashed out at the hands of this season’s bogeyman – Australia.
In the past, there have been voices within the establishment to change the basic structure of the team. At a time like this, MS Dhoni’s men shouldn’t doubt themselves if such a chorus rises. India may have lost the semi-final match to Australia, and will take the first flight home, but doubtless fans of the game had several opportunities to take pride in the team they supported so ardently. True, the Australians prevailed over India most convincingly. But should India have won that toss, who knows what the outcome would have been?
Doing a post-mortem of India’s failed 2015 World Cup bid, a number of positives are evident. Undoubtedly the team has displayed a great sense of courage, vitality and consistency. A 95-run drubbing isn’t easy to obliterate, but neither can this particular loss obliterate the seven straight wins over many a worthy side. So, to be objective, India aren’t the best in this cup. But they almost were! And that makes them better than good.
After MS Dhoni and his men lost the semi-final battle to Australia, there were still some courageous faces in the dressing room and one of them was Dhoni’s himself. If the greatest test of courage on earth is to bear defeat without losing heart, the Indian captain exhibited it after the bitter disappointment of his career.
The brave captain didn’t single out any particular player for India’s defeat. He admitted the pace bowlers could have a bowled a little better. There was no grouse against any individual in the team and this has been the key reason behind India’s good dressing room atmosphere. While chasing, Virat Kohli played an ugly shot to get out just when India got a rousing start to the innings. Yet his captain declared, “He played a shot that didn’t pay off against a quality bowler. It didn’t click.”
Probably, strong lower-order batting could have revived India after they lost four quick wickets. “We didn’t really need to play a big shot. But you are under pressure chasing a 300-plus score, it makes you do things you don’t want to do. There was too much for me to do, our lower order can’t contribute too much in these conditions. Most of the good teams bat quite deep,” was what Dhoni admitted after his team lost to Australia by 95 runs.
Is he going to play the next 2019 World Cup in England? “Not sure about next World Cup, I’m 33 years old. I’m still running, still fit. Next year, during the T20 World Cup, it will be time to decide about 2019,” Dhoni clarified.
The last four months have been challenging for Dhoni. This Indian team had problems. They lost the Test series, lost the tri-series and finally went down fighting in the World Cup semi-final. So, while their hopes may be dashed at the ultimate tournament, given the talent and great World Cup run-up to the semis, this team has better stuff in store!
