September 24, 2007: Dhoni’s young India becomes World T20 champs
The Indian team was written off before the World Twenty20, not because of the usual nasty remarks about its famed players, but more because there was no reason to think otherwise. The logic was sound and without a defect. The Twenty20 format permits resistance and unexpected outcomes. It might be claimed that some of the factors viewed as flaws ultimately worked in India’s favour as it selected its first deserving champion.
It was a relief to lack Twenty20 experience. Yuvraj Singh and Mahendra Singh Dhoni, the captain, had each participated in just one international match, while the youthful players had participated in just one domestic match. There was minimal fanfare surrounding the performance of the Indian team. The players looked a little circumspect in their first couple of matches but picked up the nuances of the game very quickly.
The Indians split up the batting duties throughout the game. Gambhir gave solid starts, despite the fact that he occasionally blew it. In the championship game, where his shot choices were considerably superior, everything fell into place for him. The streaky ones undoubtedly contributed to his innings, but he and Rohit Sharma appeared to be the only batters at the Wanderers who could drive the tempo on a slow track.
India’s ability to tighten up on the field had been questioned due to the dismal fielding during the England visit. The team’s fielding at the World Twenty20, though, stood out. Dinesh Karthik’s horizontal lunge to complete a brilliant catch to dismiss South Africa’s Graeme Smith in the last Super Eight match typified the players’ athleticism on the field, while Uthappa and Rohit Sharma were brilliant with direct-hits.
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