India Captain
Mahendra Singh Dhoni struck a breathtaking 124 as India put up an all round display to crush Australia by 99 runs in the Hero Honda Cup series, second One Day International to level the seven match series to 1-1 in Nagpur. There was no stopping
Mahendra Singh Dhoni at the Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium.
First, he almost single handedly pinned down the Australians with a superbly crafted 124 off 107 balls which propelled the hosts to 354 for seven in the second one-day International. And then he showed his leadership qualities, ringing in the bowling changes effectively as the visitors huffed and puffed against the mammoth target.
Not just rediscovering Dhoni's batting prowess, the 99 run victory also threw up a lot of positives for the home side. Yuvraj Singh's all-round qualities that India dearly missed in the Champions Trophy, Ishant Sharma and Praveen Kumar's disciplined and fiery opening spells, Ravindra Jadeja's wicket-taking abilities (3/35), the team's athletic fielding everything fell into place for India on this day.
Ricky Ponting's men needed a strong start while chasing India's imposing score but Praveen Kumar castled Tim Paine (8). Shane Watson (19) too failed to last long as Ishant Sharma's first delivery with its mix of pace and bounce surprised the opener and Sachin Tendulkar crouched low at first slip to pocket the catch.
Soon Praveen beat an on-the-move Ponting (12), who shuffled forward and found the ball thudding into his pad. Michael Hussey (53, 60b, 6x4) and Cameron White (23) then shared a 48-run fourth-wicket partnership that just about delayed Australia's free-fall.
With left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja (three for 35) turning one sharply past Hussey's defences, the contest was over.
Earlier Man of the Match Dhoni found an industrious ally in Gambhir, who scored his second consecutive 50 of the series to top up his earlier effort at Vadodara on Sunday. The duo's 119-run fourth-wicket partnership spread over 113 deliveries, provided a strong backbone to the Indian innings after Virender Sehwag (40, 31b, 6x4, 1x6), Tendulkar (4) and Yuvraj Singh (23) were back in the pavilion.
Gambhir whetted his appetite with a straight-driven four off Peter Siddle. Gambhir flicked the seamers and danced down to off-spinner Nathan Hauritz to hit over the in-field as Dhoni bided his time.
They pocketed their runs with stealth before the alliance was broken in a moment that almost cost Dhoni his wicket though it was Gambhir who got dismissed. Dhoni's checked drive off Siddle just missed the outstretched palms of the seamer while Gambhir charged down from the non-striker's end and Hauritz slammed down the stumps.
Raina then came in at 216 for four in 33.6 overs with Dhoni busy shifting gears. Dhoni and Raina teamed up in a 136-run fifth-wicket partnership lasting 96 balls as India scored 47 runs in the batting Power Play (overs 40 to 44) and thumped 108 runs in the last 10 overs.
The Indian captain scored his first fifty off 55 balls and the next came off just 39 balls as he waded into the seamers. He struck a six off Hilfenhaus and then hammered successive sixes off Watson to reach his hundred. Dhoni and Raina were out in the last over but by then Ponting's men were gasping for breath.
Posted by Prakash Jadhav | Views 165 | Share Blog
