Team India Has A Lucky Escape

What should been an easy path was made treacherous by a top-order that is yet to shed rustiness. The failure of Sehwag and Gambhir to carry on after getting their eye in almost fuelled in another disaster, but the methodical effort of Dhoni and Karthik saved India a defeat that would have plunged the team into greater self-doubts.

The manner in which Dhoni and Karthik rotated the strike was gleaming. The secret in run chases lies in the ability of the batsmen not to let go of the singles and twos and still ensure the loose balls don't go unpunished. The duo got the act right embedding boundaries in between and looking busy with singles that not only helped rotate the strike but also ensured the bowlers did not get enough at a stretch to a certain batsman.

Dhoni coming in at three was a refreshing change, I have always vouched for Dhoni to bat higher and so many names made the rounds for the number three slot it was a bit of a surprise that his name never did the rounds. Technically Dhoni may not possess all the ingredients to bat higher, but one-day cricket is hardly going to probe the batsman enough. Dhoni has cut the frills and shown in the recent past that he can handle tight situations with composure and it was good to see him guide the team home in Karthik's company in spite of being down with a hamstring pull.

With Karthik improving as a fielder with every game, India's long search for a stable middle-order bat to compliment Yuvraj looks finally over. There is an air of assurance with the way he bats and never looks lost even in a tight situation. His running between the wickets and shot selection were both impressive. The hunger was evident in his eye and that augurs well for Indian cricket.

Though India registered a win, no praise would be less for the manner in which, Bangladesh fought. Their confidence is on a high after their exploits in the World Cup and they set foot believing they can win. If they have done it once there is no reason why they cant do it again and they backed themselves to the hilt and almost pulled off another upset.

Bangladesh's decision to bat on a rain-affected wicket was a brave move and the batsmen played to plan, keeping wickets intact for a late surge. Team India after all the talk of a rejunavated show still moved at a pace that had more questions attached. There was no resolve and the body language of some of the players left a lot to be desired.

It might be a touch early to expect results from the fielding and bowling coach but there was hardly anything on offer as starters. Quickness is going to be an integral part of the one-day game and there are place for slouches. India might have escaped further embarrassment with this five-wicket win but there was not much to give them confidence. The team is not moving with an assurance an aspect one would expect at least against a team like Bangladesh.

The scorecard might not be really reflecting what happened on the field, most of the other internationals teams would have made Team India pay dearly for their lapses.