THE ART OF SNATCHING DEFEAT


Winning is a habit. But so is losing. Dhoni and his boys just proved this at the Manuka Oval.

How else could one possibly explain the horrendous performance by Indian batsmen, when only 72 runs were needed in 75 balls with 9 wickets in hand? With the way Dhawan and Kohli were batting, one got a feeling, India would finally enjoy the sweet taste of success after a string of defeats. But what unfolded at Manuka Oval left every Indian fan disillusioned.

It was a meltdown of such gigantic proportions, it would make the best of economists scratch their heads. Kohli, Rahane, Gurkeerat Singh, Rishi Dhawan- all back in the pavilion as though they had more pressing matters to address off the field. It was truly an aberration of sorts.

So what exactly unfolded on that fateful afternoon? To put it mildly, India had simply forgotten the art of winning matches from what seemed to be a comfortable position. It’s really difficult to conjure up logical reasons to give a fitting explanation to this performance.

Australia, the moment they saw a small opening through the door, forced the door open. But such is the DNA of top teams. They latch on to the slightest sniff of victory. The Indian team, befuddled and bemused by their recent losses, froze in the headlights. Rash shots were played when singles and doubles could have done the job far more easily. And suddenly, a pitch on which Dhawan and Kohli had never looked like getting out started playing tricks on the hapless Indian batsmen.

Dhoni heroically declared that his wicket sparked the turnaround. But the onus of the blame can’t be rested on the shoulders of a single player. It’s the manner of this defeat that’s more disturbing than the defeat itself. It raises certain questions in the minds of the Indian cricket fans. Apart from Kohli and Rohit Sharma, does any other player have the capacity for a fight? Has the Indian team treating overseas tours as irritants, something that needs to be over and done with before cricket resumes in the comfortable confines of Indian surfaces?

Such theories will keep popping their ugly heads up each time India displays such lackadaisical performance. But for the time being, at least every Indian cricket fan knows that one more ODI and this misery will end.  


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