The wicket keepers' show..
Just a litre of milk every day. Apparently, that's the secret of Mahendra Singh Dhoni's awesome strength and power (and Ravi Shastri cannot help but ask this question on any occasion that he gets to interview Dhoni). Whatever that secret, we were treated to some fabulous strokeplay (i'm tempted to use the word powerplay here, but now that phrase has entirely different connotations!) today as Dhoni tore apart the Lankan attach.
The sting of those blows left Marvan Atappatu speechless at the presentation ceremony--- he admitted that taking powerplays (as in the new ODI rules) wouldn't have mattered at all. He couldn't be more matter-of-fact than that. 10 sixes -- huge ones at that-- to go with some screaming ground strokes to the fence -- it was an exhibition of brute power.
Dhoni has made a strong statement--- and his general demeanour and attitude on the field (at least what's visible to us on the television screens) seems to indicate that a Test place is not too far away.
Let's not forget the effort of the other wicket keeper in the game today- Kumara Sangakkara. He seems to have really hit a purple patch-- ever since he played for the World XI in the Super Series. His knock was special and on nine days out of ten, he would have ended on the winning side with a knock like that. But then Dhoni decided it was going to be his day.
Interestingly, both wicket keepers were on the field for almost the entire duration of the game (Dhoni came to bat in the 3rd or 4th over, while Sangakkara batted the entire 50 and then kept wickets ). Kudos to both of them.
India almost began this series as undergoes, but after three games, it's the Lankans who are trying desperately to find their bearings. After another mauling today, it remains to be seen how much they will be able to lift themselves up in the next encounter in Pune.
The sting of those blows left Marvan Atappatu speechless at the presentation ceremony--- he admitted that taking powerplays (as in the new ODI rules) wouldn't have mattered at all. He couldn't be more matter-of-fact than that. 10 sixes -- huge ones at that-- to go with some screaming ground strokes to the fence -- it was an exhibition of brute power.
Dhoni has made a strong statement--- and his general demeanour and attitude on the field (at least what's visible to us on the television screens) seems to indicate that a Test place is not too far away.
Let's not forget the effort of the other wicket keeper in the game today- Kumara Sangakkara. He seems to have really hit a purple patch-- ever since he played for the World XI in the Super Series. His knock was special and on nine days out of ten, he would have ended on the winning side with a knock like that. But then Dhoni decided it was going to be his day.
Interestingly, both wicket keepers were on the field for almost the entire duration of the game (Dhoni came to bat in the 3rd or 4th over, while Sangakkara batted the entire 50 and then kept wickets ). Kudos to both of them.
India almost began this series as undergoes, but after three games, it's the Lankans who are trying desperately to find their bearings. After another mauling today, it remains to be seen how much they will be able to lift themselves up in the next encounter in Pune.
posted by manoj at 9:54 AM
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