India won the ODI series against West Indies by 2-1

In India won the 4 ODI cricket series in Caribbean against Indies by 2-1 after the final match was expelled due to rain. Caribbean win came after seven years making it historical win over Indies on their own land.

On 5th July Sunday, at Beausejour stadium both team were ready for the final assault. It was do or die situation for Indies as India was leading the series by 2-1. India was also prepared to sway the finals to overpower World T20 Cup catastrophe. But again the Caribbean monsoon played the spoil sport and match has to be dismissed due to heavy downpour. Initially match was delayed before the start and match was reduced to 49 overs per side match.

India won the toss and put the Indies to bat first. Dhoni took the sensible decision to utilize the moisture for taking wickets in the initial overs. Ishant Sharma gave an initial jolt to the Indies by taking the ducked wicket of skipper Chris Gayle. Ramnaresh Sarwan (12) and Runako Morton (12) continued till 7.4 overs at 27 runs off 1 wicket when play was suspended indefinitely by heavy downpour.

Later rainfall stopped but the ground was too wet to continue the game. Umpires decided to wait but soon after two hours they evaluated and declared the outfield unfit and too wet for the game. Consequently India won the series by 2-1 after 7 years and the 5th ODI series win consecutively. Afterwards match ceremony preceded and Indian captain M.S. Dhoni raised the cup.

India back fired in the Caribbean series after it was forced out of the World T20 Championship. Indian fans which were furious because of the early exit of the World T20 now have something to cheer about.

In the first ODI at Kingston India showcased its dexterity in the game but the Indies were also able to came closer to the 340 run target but succumbed just by 20runs. Yuvraj Singh knocked stunning ton proving himself to be match winner for India. The second ODI came as the realization as India was still weaker and some kind of restlessness taking over them when they lost by eight wickets to Indies. Dhoni performed well in the second ODI but of no consequence, his rest of the teammates were not able to support him. In the third ODI Dhoni and his teammates were prepared to back fire and they did. Dhoni again blasted with bat and chased with the stronger hold of nerve, eventually leading for six wickets victory.

India is having lot of player injuries and whole team is retarded due to constant playing. Now soon in September cricket fans going to have ICC Champions Trophy in South Africa. ICC Champions Trophy takes place after every two years, often been won by different side on every occasion. India has bet to make for it but before that they need relaxation. On the other hand Indies need to do homework regarding team planning.

At St Lucia on 3rd July, constant interruptions came as a bane for the Indies and boon for India. In the 3rd ODI of Degicel series India won the rain reduced match according to Duckworth-Lewis method against West Indies leading the series by 2-1. Dhoni holding the nerve firm knocked unbeaten 46 runs guiding India to the victory.

West Indies came to bat first, it was much to their ill fate the constant rain interruptions often lead to discontinuation and regular reduction of overs and runs. Decision was taken by India to put the Indies to bat; decision came as determining factor of the match result and as India anticipated Indies innings were adversely affected by rain.

With the rain interruption of more the 2 hours the game was reduced to 41 overs. Indies powerful opener Chris Gayle came to bat and with his fastidious spree of runs knocked 27 runs off 14 balls which was Indies score also. But as Gayle faced 13 ball rain again interrupted and match has to be put at stop. After a while reducing the overs further to 39 overs, Gayle returned to the pitch, just  on the 14th ball he succumbed to Ashish Nehra(5-21-3wk) delivery being caught behind.

During the Indies innings match was twice again has to be suspended for a while reducing it further to 36 overs then eventual to 27 overs. Despite constant rain intervention Ramnaresh Sarwan on the second wicket blasted 63 runs off 59 balls with 5 boundaries and 1 maximum. Rest onwards Runak Morton (22), Shiv Chanderpaul (15), Dwayne Bravo (19), Darren Bravo (15), Jerome Talyor (2) and not out Denesh Ramdin (14) contributed to the scoreboard aggregating to 186 runs off 27 overs.

Ashish Nehra bowling was the most impressive he was able to beat important batsmen (Gayle, Chanderpaul, Bravo)of Indies. Harbhajan Singh swept away 2 wickets with spin damaging more to Indies; Yusuf Pathan took 1 wicket and rest the Indian bowlers performance was average.

India came to bat to pursue 186 runs target off 27 overs. India score found solid base with the ferocious knocks by Dinesh Karthink (47 runs off 43 balls) and Gautam Gambhir (44 runs off 38 balls) in the top order. Due to fifth rain intervention for indefinite period in the 14th over made it more easier for the India to chase.  After the resumption runs were reduced to 159 runs according to Duckworth-Lewis method and runs left were 64 runs off 51 balls still having 9 wickets in hand it came as a clear advantage to India. Yuvraj Singh (2) and Rohit Sharma (11) were inexpensive even though Indian innings were smooth because of Dhoni’s firm hold of his nerve and aggression leaded India to victory.

West Indies bowlers were not able to put the impressive show as in last match. Bravo, Bernard and Benn took 1-1 wickets.

In the penultimate over when victory seemed far for India, Dhoni ravaged in the last over leading the India in series with 2-1.

West Indies evened the four ODI series against India in 2nd ODI of the series at Sabina Park on Sunday, 28th June. Re-called Rampaul rampage the pitch and ruined the India to the push it off the verge to chaos. Indian batsmen were nothing better than mannequins, silently observing Indian team to eventual defeat. West Indies were superior both with bat and ball and gave not a single chance to India for the comeback. West Indies restricted India to 188 runs off all out in the 48th over. Gayle and Gayle’s company again brilliantly finished the follow up in the 35th over consequently winning by 8 wickets.

Everyone expected India to be tough competition after their mouth shutting win over Indies in 1st ODI but contrary to all the expectations India came out loser. Dhoni’s guys were even worst comparative to gully cricket players. Top order batsmen were playing sneaky shoots and it was apparent with their batting they don’t possess any knowledge about the technicalities of batting and foot work. Trio Rampaul, Taylor and Bravo most often deceived the batsmen by forcing him to take silly shoots to the slip and gully and often succumbing to in swing Yorkers. Indies trio took the toll over the Indian batsmen; Karthik (4), Ravindra Jadeja (7), Harbhajan (7), including three ducks Gambhir, Rohit and Yusuf. Dhoni’s 95 runs innings was well received which dragged out India out of the mayhem when India was crumbling at 82 runs at the fall of 8 wickets.  Partnership of Dhoni and RP Singh stabilized Indian innings while in the middle order Yuraj singh (35) was the sole contributor of double figures. India aggregated only 188 runs of all out in the 48th over; 189 runs target was easily achievable for the team like West Indies.

Indies bowlers were outstanding and Indies Trio (Rampaul, Taylor and Bravo) flabbergasted Indian batsmen. Indies trio were acquainted of the Indian team vulnerability to shot pitched bowls and often they succumbed to it.  Indies trio caught the weakest point of the slip area of Indian batsmen and also found them to be inept in foot work thus Indies trio consumed this weakness of Indian batsmen. Return of Rampual came as the rejuvenating spirit to the Indies bowlers that enhanced their support and skills.  Inexpensive Indies trio Rampaul took 4 wickets and Taylor and Bravo took 3-3 wickets.

Indies got the 189 runs target which was too easy for the Gayle’s company and they achieved it without any hindrance. Gayle charged with 64 runs coming off 46 bowls hence giving the West Indies innings head start. In the 15th over Gayle got out then Sarwan (15) but the damage was done and nothing but the formality was left for Indies to end the match. Not out Runako Morton knocked 85 runs off 105 bowls and not out Chanderpaul knocked 18 runs off 41 bowls finishing the match in the 35th over leading Indies to 8 wickets win.

Now, Indians fans have something to smile and cheer about after India’s disastrous consecutive defeats in ICC T20 World Super 8. 26, June at Sabina Park in 50 overs ODI, India defeated Indies in most exciting and close match. Yuvraj with 131 innings coming off 102 balls outstandingly batted and became significant factor to India for anticipated victory. India batting line up after a long time supported each other well enough and they aggregated gigantic score of 339 runs off 6 wickets. 340 runs target was huge nevertheless as speculated Indies fired back with bat but that fire came late and they were not able to hold wickets. Consequently they all got out and succumbed to achieve the target by just 20 runs still 11 bowls spared.

Indian batting lineup has always been most powerful; each Indian batsman has on and off made bowlers sweat and frown over their own ability. On 26 June, at Jamaica again we saw Indian batsmen joshing and bashing Indies bowlers. Gautam Gambhir (13), Rohit Sharma (4) and Ravindra Jadeja (0) left the ground scoring inexpensively. Beside that Dinesh Karthik (67), Yuvraj Singh (131), MS Dhoni (41), not out Yusuf Pathan (40) and not out Harbhajan Singh (21) rampaged the pitch and not a single corner left where ball didn’t transgressed the boundary. Indian batsmen were unstoppable and Indies bowlers each trick seemed nothing but desperate plea. Yuvraj was everywhere in the scream of crowd and commentators, simply marvelous innings we saw coming from Yuvraj charismatic batting leading India to mammoth score of 339 runs off 6 wickets in 50 overs.

West Indies bowling was at its worst, each player economy reaching above 6 runs per over. Jerome Taylor, Lionel Baker and David Bernard took 1-1 wicket and Dwayne Bravo took 2 wickets. West Indies Bowlers gave batsmen ample space take shoots and every trick of in swing or off-spin was worthless in front of Yuvraj and Dinesh.

Indies got huge pressuring 340 runs target, yet it was difficult to achieve but it was never impossible for Indies. Indies got good start by Chris Gayle (37) and Runako Morton (42) and middle order played above average; Sarwan (45) and Chanderpaul (63) snatched the chance for Indies but the wickets kept falling not single batsmen after them sustained on pitch to lead Indies. Eventually when victory seemed near they all got out at 319 in 48th over by Indian bowlers.

Return of Nehra in team gave the boost to the Indian bowling. Indian bowlers fared well, RP Singh, Ishant and Harbhajan took 1-1 wickets; and Ashish Nehra and Yusuf Pathan took 3-3 wickets. Though bowlers were not able to confine Indies batsmen but still Nehra, Pathan and other bowlers didn’t let batmen sustain on pitch.

Match concluded with the close win of India and man of the match to Yuvraj Singh. Contrarily Yuvraj poked sting like a bee, as Gayle predicted for Indies.

ICC T20 World Champions 2007 India, in ICC T20 World Championship 2009 turns out to be IPL millionaire’s underdogs. They didn’t sustain for long in T20 World Cup due to injuries, underperformance, listlessness and controversy over Shewag’s injury. ICC T20 World finished with the Pakistani’s becoming champions and just after that cricket fans have been provided with another dose of cricketing; India touring Caribbean for four match ODI series against West Indies. West Indies have proved its talent and potential in ICC T20 World. Now Indies going to face retarded India which is having its important player injuries.

India is going to face West Indies in four ODI matches in Caribbean from 26th of June 2009. 1st ODI will be played in Jamaica on 26th June, 2nd ODI again in Jamaica on 28 June, 3rd ODI in St Lucia on 3rd July and 4th match in St Lucia on 5th July.

Gayle has warned India that Indies can sting like a bee; we can sense the toughness and expect Gayle proving the same expression true. We have seen that Gayle often been true with his words and not only fired with mouth but with bat also. Indies have been performing well enough with powerful set of bowlers, Gayle’s stewardship and stronger batting line up; India could be eating humble pie.

India during the ICC T20 World was much in controversy due to Dhoni’s attitude towards Shewag injury. And at the same time they were facing heavy pressure as they were 2007 T20 World champions. It was important for any side to beat India during ICC T20 World to establish their potentiality for T20 World Cup. That was another reason for their losing even though greater reason was their surrendering to pressure. That’s not all team was having injured players playing for the team which was recklessness from Indian Cricket Board (BCCI). BCCI knew that most of the players were retarded as they just appeared in millions dollar event Indian Premier League matches. Indian cricket players kept themselves engaged in advertising, earning more money besides doing net practice.

In ICC T20 World it was apparent India lacks focus, team spirit and concentration. With the much hype up series of controversies and off field drama and stress, India lost before appearing in the match. Still in these tough and perturbing time Star player Yuraj Singh performed well as expected. But rest his teammates where their just in the name of “Indian team”. Dhoni’s company with exception of Yuraj none performed consistently and none came out match winner for Team India.

Indian team arrangement has been kept unchanged, except Nehra included to the Indian Team. West Indies lineup has also been unchanged consisting of commanding young and experienced batting line up and excellent mix of bowling set. Lot of drama, action and entertained will surely be in this 4 match ODI Series.

Now, question is will India be again going down with humiliation or will it rising to play with dignity?