India may have lost the three-match ODI series against Bangladesh, but all is not lost with the team. There were suggestions that the India skipper MS Dhoni has lost his midas touch and a time is gradually coming when a new captain will take charge of things.
For all those who have endlessly doubted Dhoni’s calibre as a player and leader should know that the Ranchi-born cricketer is going nowhere. He has the support of his teammates and the cricket administration. He is still the man who is going to take the Indian cricket to forward.
There isn’t an iota of doubt that Dhoni is still the best Indian cricketer right now. He may have gone through bad phases as a captain and player, but he has always come out as a winner.
Take for instance the ODI series against Bangladesh. After losing the first match, Dhoni promoted himself up the order to counter the improving Bangladeshi attack. To his misfortune, he was successful in scoring some runs for his team, but it wasn’t enough to avoid a series defeat.
In the third ODI match of the series, Dhoni again came into bat after out-of-form Virat Kohli got out at No. 4. He steered the Indian innings along Shikhar Dhawan, Suresh Raina and Ambati Rayudu to post a commanding total against Bangladesh.
By the time, the hosts came out to chase, they were already under tremendous pressure. India, eventually, won the match by a handsome margin, but it wasn’t an easy win as it appears.
Despite going past the 300-run mark, the Indian bowlers still had to contain the Bangladeshi batsmen. The home team started off in a spirited fashion, but it was the smart bowling change from Dhoni that made all the difference.
Part-timer Suresh Raina claimed three wickets, and in the end, it was a complete team effort that enabled India to win the match convincingly. This was again one of the worst performances in a bilateral by an Indian team in the sub-continent, but this team under Dhoni showed great character to fight at the time of adversity.
The team was a little tired and the batsmen and bowlers were seen struggling with their temperaments. They reached a stage, where not everyone had a solution to the problem. It was only Dhoni who knew what he had to do as a captain.
He also knew that if India would play to their potential, it will be easy for his team to show Bangladesh their place. Fortunately, everything fell in place and Dhoni’s team salvaged pride.
With a few days of rest in mind, the players will now be busy spending quality time with their family after an extended cricket season, which ended with the Bangladesh tour. Some of them would be heading for a vacation and will be totally cut-off from the humdrums of city life.
They will most concentrating on relaxing their mind and body before boarding the flight for the Sri Lankan tour. Probably, Dhoni will do the same. But he will surely be pondering over the team combination, which will be a key factor as India play most of their international games at home for next one year or so.
With the World T20 scheduled to take place in India for the first time, he can’t unwind like his colleagues. He has works out a game-plan that will keep his team in good stead!
