M A I N   N E W S

India have the faith and skill to conquer Mohali

MEN of genius are admired, men of power feared and men of character trusted. The win against defending champions Australia restores Team India’s credibility and brings faith to the masses. With this win, that sees India topple the world champions, the king has finally lost the crown. Australia have abdicated their throne. And with South Africa too losing to New Zealand, the message is clear, the force is with the sub-continent. The foreign teams have not yet mastered these conditions, and the ghost of the final frontier still looms large.

India is now the mecca of cricket. The IPL has meant that Indian cricket and cricketers are the most saleable in world cricket.

But what really did turn the match in India’s favour was the pitch it was played on. The surface made sure that Australia’s lack of spin bowlers was exposed. Not to take anything away from the Indian team, who performed like a well-oiled unit. In fact, the performance had a little bit of everything in it. The youngsters picked up the gauntlet, Sachin looked solid, Yuvraj was out there, thriving in the face of a challenge and Raina too rising to the occasion.

The best part was that India camouflaged their weakness through a systematic approach. Trouble gives a team the opportunity to discover its strength or the lack of it. A performance like Ahmedabad is beyond flesh and blood. It is moments like these that generations shall remember. This win means that the Men in Blue have axed the oak tree that Australia are, and that doesn’t happen with just one wild swing. It takes 50 overs of consistent high-quality cricket. India have beaten Australia in a World Cup match after almost 25 years. And now, what is to be done as Pakistan wait ahead?

The best way to keep good memories is to refresh them with new ones. As India take on maverick Pakistan in Mohali, it will be a contest that will see the best batting line-up in the tournament battle the best bowling. As was the case against Australia in Ahmedabad, the outcome will depend a lot on the 22-yards in the centre. The type of pitch that Mohali offers will go a long way in deciding the fate of the game. The surface has to be a batting paradise, where the Indian batsmen can make most of their ability and put up or chase down any score.

Anything different, whether a turner, or a green top, and it might just become a case of biting more than one can chew! The slow turner worked against Australia, but will backfire against Pakistan. They didn’t even play the left-arm spinner Rehman against Australia in the group stage and still skittled them under 200. With Afridi, Ajmal, Hafeez and Rehman bowling in tow, India will have their hands full.

Even the pace bowling department is doing really well, and the spearhead Umar Gul is the best seamer in the World Cup by some distance. He along with Wahab Riaz and Abdul Razzaq have caused batsmen enough problems that no one seems to remember that they are without the services of Mohammed Asif, Mohammed Aamer and have benched Shoaib Akhtar. India need to plan positively and proceed with perseverance.

They have the best opening combination in place, have in-form batsmen walking in at numbers three and four. Then to follow them up are the likes of Yuvraj, Dhoni and Raina. Harbhajan Singh has a Test hundred, Ashwin is no mug with the bat and Zaheer can hit the ball some distance. What Pakistan pose as a threat in bowling, India can smother it all up with the massive batting line-up they boast of.

All the team needs is to remember is that the wind and the waves are on the side of the ablest navigators. India can surely go the distance, and after beating Australia, they will have the required belief as well to down a spirited Pakistan team.

History tells us that Pakistan have never beaten India at a World Cup. Never. Lets hope the jinx continues! Intro to come here Intro to come here.