Published: Apr 04, 2011, 12:58 PM (IST)
Edited: Mar 19, 2014, 03:10 PM (IST)
By Jamie Alter
The heartbreak is officially over, thanks to a historic 43 days that arguably now earns top-shelf status as the biggest achievement under Mahendra Singh Dhoni.
A dream came true Saturday night at Wankhede Stadium as India lifted its second World Cup – emulating Kapil Dev’s 1983 team. In a nation obsessed about cricket, the 2011 World Cup-winning team will no longer be asked questions about an inability to lift the silverware that really matters.
I have reflected on the individual performances of the players and given it a rated on a scale of ten:
9.5 out of 10
Yuvraj Singh
Yuvraj overcame poor form, rode his luck and made the most of his breaks to fashion India’s emphatic World Cup success. He was everywhere in the tournament, taking wickets and scoring runs and diving around wherever he was placed, dodgy knees and all. Scored three consecutive fifties, the last two after buckling down to steer India out of trouble, and then took a century off the West Indies. In the quarter-final against Australia, Yuvraj again stepped up with an unbeaten fifty under pressure. Failed with the bat in the semis but that was just one blip in what was a memorable campaign. Yuvraj lived up to his reputation as a limited-overs match-winner with four Man-of-the-Match awards and the Man-of-the-Tournament prize for 362 runs at 90.50 and 15 wickets 25.13.
9 out of 10
Zaheer Khan
Zaheer came into the tournament as India’s spearhead and only dependable bowler and fulfilled the role admirably. Never took a bag of wickets but contributed in every match, either delivering early breakthroughs or snapping partnerships after the 30-over mark where he was at his lethal best with the older ball. His three-wicket burst during the tie against England was the reason India didn’t lose, while his slower ball to bowl Michael Hussey in the quarter-final ranks as one of the tournament’s best. What he now lacks in pace, Zaheer makes up for with nuance and cleverness. Tellingly, he banished the horror of the 2003 final with a stellar opening spell in the final. That his last five overs cost 54 tarnished what was otherwise an exemplary tournament where Zaheer finished with 21 wickets.
Sachin Tendulkar
Came into the tournament in some form and scored two outstanding centuries, against England and South Africa, but neither resulted in victory. Failed against West Indies and threw away starts thrice, especially against Australia when he looked sublime during his 53, but was in the thick of things in the semi-finals. Dropped four times, Tendulkar buckled down to score a match-winning 85. There was no 100th international century at the Wankhede, but a dream was realized. Unsurprisingly, was India’s highest run scorer with 482 at 53.55.
8 out of 10
Gautam Gambhir
Gambhir finished his first World Cup with 393 runs at 43.66, a fine achievement, but an inability to score a century will rankle a competitor of his nature. Got to 39 against Bangladesh, 51 against England, 69 versus South Africa, 50 versus Australia and 97 in the final. The common factor? A lapse in concentration each time. Against Sri Lanka, Gambhir seemed destined for three figures until he played for the gallery and lost his stumps. Nevertheless, the fact that he had grabbed the game by the throat and produced his most convincing knock of the tournament was testament to his typically bullish attitude. Remains a splendid player for India.
7 out of 10
Virender Sehwag
For Sehwag, 380 runs at 47.50 indicate a good tournament but 175 of those came in one innings. That knock was Sehwag’s high point without a doubt, and he looked good for another century until he was dismissed for 73 against South Africa. Contributed to stands of 69, 46, 69, 142, 44 and 48, with his 25-ball 38 against Pakistan in the semi-final setting the tone aggressively. Loses points for blindly demanding the referral without consulting Tendulkar at the other end, and was twice given out to an old habit of playing off the back foot against real pace.
Virat Kohli
A fine run of form leading into the World Cup ensured Kohli made the starting XI ahead of Suresh Raina, and while his returns were not as productive as he would have liked, Kohli remains assured of a place in the team. Nothing he did matched his unbeaten century in his first World Cup innings, though innings of 59 versus West Indies and 35 in the final proved crucial. Needs to figure out how not to throw away a start. His fielding was, expectantly, quite brilliant.
MS Dhoni
What to say of the man who continues to confound and impress with his tactics? For the entire league phase he was widely castigated for persisting with Piyush Chawla, and then bowling him at the death, and when addressing the press made odd statements about wanting to keep Ravichandran Ashwin ready for the “pressure matches”. Then, after picking Ashwin, Dhoni dropped him. He admitted that he had misread the Mohali pitch, but recalling Ashish Nehra proved a masterstroke. As did a promotion for himself to No. 5 in the final. Personally, the tournament was rather mute until he walked out at 114 for three and first dug himself in and then dazzled en route to a match-winning, unbeaten 91 off 79 balls to delivery India glory. Dhoni does as Dhoni sees. All you can do is watch.
Suresh Raina
Sidelined by Kohli, Raina got a chance once the knock-outs began and produce the goods each time. In the two innings he was required to bat, Raina was exceptional. Against Australia he partnered Yuvraj in a match-winning stand to seal a tense chase and against Pakistan he turned a total of 240 into 260. Unlucky to be dropped and played just thrice but his unflappability means, he remains in the frame of the middle order.
Ravichandran Ashwin
Consigned to carrying drinks for much of the tournament, the Chennai off-spinner stepped up when he was finally turned to. Given use of the new ball, he was economical and incisive. Struck to remove Kirk Edwards in the seventh over and Shane Watson in the tenth. A thinking bowler, he has Dhoni’s trust and should be persisted with.
6 out of 10
Munaf Patel
His reputation as a one-day bowler remains intact after eight matches, and that’s saying something about Munaf. He isn’t the tearaway he was on Test debut five years ago, but does have a sensibility about his craft that should keep him in good stead for time to come. Needs to shed the tag that some teams have of him, that he is the bowler to target, and also must rely on more than cutters. Was quite exceptional against Pakistan when he bowled the slower ball with frequency and made life tough for the batsmen.
5 out of 10
Harbhajan Singh
As he often does, Harbhajan failed to walk the talk. Was guilty of bowling negative lines and not extracting as much turn as other spinners did in the tournament, and the fact that Yuvraj took six more wickets was indicative of Harbhajan’s striking ability. He was India’s most economical bowler, but that argument is running thin. Bowled well against West Indies and Pakistan, where his arm ball to get Umar Akmal was pivotal.
Ashish Nehra
Looked rusty and ineffective against Netherlands and South Africa, but he had come back from an injury. Bowled a decent first spell in the semi-final, and then turned it on during his third with two wickets to finish with an economy rate of 3.30. The emergence of Munaf Patel and the return of Praveen Kumar mean Nehra might no longer be an automatic selection.4 out of 10
Piyush Chawla
Didn’t find too many admirers during the league phase, in which he played thrice and took four wickets, but wasn’t a complete failure. He took wickets and didn’t bleed runs, even if the lingering image was of Chawla being carted for sixes in a crucial 49th over versus England. Still hasn’t developed enough variety to compete at international level, and his batting ability remains something of a myth.
4 out of 10
Yusuf Pathan
Pathan came into the tournament brimming with confidence after his heroics in South Africa, and was picked ahead of Suresh Raina as an all-rounder. However, he failed to live up to expectations. In six innings, his highest was an unbeaten 30 to hasten victory over Ireland, and his failures against England, South Africa and West Indies (each during the batting Powerplay) contributed to manic Indian collapses. His bowling also proved pedestrian, as two wickets at a whopping 167 each show.
1 out of 10
Shantakumaran Sreesanth
Where to for the man with the fastest mouth in the south? He got two matches separated by 42 days and failed to pick up a wicket in either. Leaked runs both times, finishing with a tournament economy rate of over eight – and failed to produce any significant pace. Was repeatedly targeted by opposition batsman who seemed aware of his ability to offer width. Will easily be discarded when Praveen returns.
(Jamie Alter is a freelance cricket writer, having worked at ESPNcricinfo and All Sports Magazine. His first book, The History of World Cup Cricket, is out now. His twitter feed is @jamie_alter)
