I can imagine the celebrations. India not only started the World Cup on a winning note but the thunderous margin against Pakistan gave an indication of what to expect from M.S. Dhoni’s team. It has sounded an early warning to the rest with its clinical annihilation of an opposition that lacked the will to fight.
India had many gains from this victory. The form of Shikhar Dhawan, Virat Kohli and Suresh Raina put the contest on the right track. And then the bowlers took over to finish the job. From the combination that Dhoni assembled to the accomplishment of the task, it was a professional show by India.
Batting is Pakistan’s weak link. Not India’s. The failure of Rohit Sharma was a minor aberration as India took charge through the majestic display by Kohli. He strengthened my belief in his abilities. He is the sort of player who takes over the responsibility when the stage is big. He can turn things around on his own and it is a good sign that he has got into his rhythm so early.
There was some concern regarding Shikhar, but look at how he eased into best positions to cart and caress the ball. I like his style of play and felt sorry when he was needlessly run out when looking good for a really big one. Raina was brilliant in Kohli’s company and I am looking forward to some more exciting stuff from him.
Pakistan clearly missed Mohammad Hafeez and Saeed Ajmal. With these two around, Shahid Afridi would have been a bigger threat with his leg spin. I give credit to Wahab Riaz and Sohail Khan for bowling well towards the end because it restricted India’s scoring spree.
India, however, needs to improve in the power play – 29 in five overs was not ideal, especially when the batsmen were at their best.
That there was no on-field acrimony among the players on either side was a welcome development indeed. To me, the moment of the match was the elation on Raina’s face when Kohli got to his century. It reflected the spirit of the Indian dressing room.
( Murali Kartik will contribute exclusively to The Hindu during the World Cup )
