Dhoni menace powers Indian victory against Australia
Skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni smashed an express ton and India beat Australia by huge 99 runs in the second ODI at Nagpur. By this huge victory India has leveled the series and gained the momentum for the rest of the series.
Ricky Ponting won the toss and put India in to bat first, which turned on to be a nightmarish match for Australians. India lost Tendulkar early for 4 but that has not stopped Sehwag-Gambhir duo to go on a fearless attack. Sehwag was at his brutal best scored 40 off just 31 balls with 6 fours and a six. His assertive partner Gautam Gambhir supported him well and forged a telling partnership at the top. Gambhir hit 76 off 80 balls with 6 boundaries, which was a second fifty in a row. Mitchell Johnson took crucial Sehwag’s wicket caught by Hilfenhas.
Gambhir continued partnership with Yuvraj Singh who has returned to team after the injury. Yuvraj too had played some good shots and shown his usual stuff. The sharp catch by Hilfenhas on his own bowling got rid of Yuvraj for 23 off 24 balls with 2 fours and a six. This has brought skipper Dhoni to the crease. Johnson greeted him with a nasty bouncer that has hit Dhoni’s helmet. But it must have provoked Dhoni as he was at his vintage best from thereon.
Dhoni, who was asked by former cricketers to promote himself in batting order, played a very aggressive innings. Initially, he ran very hard to fetch his runs. When he reached his fifty, he has scored just 3 boundaries. He then shifted to next gear after he reached his half-century. Some powerful shots have been played by the Indian skipper. It was absolute feast and entertainment for the crowd and he played like what we know about him. Cricket ball was flying above the ropes more often. Every Australian bowler has been taken for toll by devastating Dhoni. Extremely talented Suresh Raina accompanied his skipper only to play some trademark shots of himself. Dhoni has scored 124 runs from 107 balls with 9 fours and three sixes. By that he has set a record of scoring highest run against Australia as a captain. Suresh Raina smashed effective 62 off 50 balls with 6 fours and a six. Suresh Raina matched Dhoni shot by shot. Dhoni and Suresh Raina forged a very quick century partnership and posted a huge 355 for Australia to chase down.
Australians with a massive total to be scored under lights, started shaky with Tim Paine was clean bowled by a beauty from Praveen Kumar for 8. Reliable Shane Watson edged the Ishant Sharma to the Tendulkar in slip for 19. It is well known fact that Ponting sometimes are susceptible to incoming deliveries. Praveen Kumar just bowled sharp in-cutter and trapped shuffling Ponting in front of the wicket for 12. Australians lost three wickets early even before the score reached the half-century. Still Australians were having 4 specialist batmen to bat on. But further damage was done by Ravindra Jadeja, who has scalped Hussey 53, Vogues 36 and Marsh 21 and erased the hopes of Australia to come back in to the game. Harbhajan though slightly expensive has got dangerman Craig White for 23.
Indians were on complete control of the match but they seem to be complacent towards the end of the match by conceding runs to the tail-enders. But finally they won the match by 99 runs and leveled the seven match ODI series 1-1. Mahendra Singh Dhoni for his devastating innings won the man of the match award.
